Preparation and Characterization of Cu and Ni on Alumina Supports and Their Use in the Synthesis of Low-Temperature Metal-Phthalocyanine Using a Parallel-Plate Reactor

Ni- and Cu/alumina powders were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), and N(2) physisorption isotherms were also determined. The Ni/Al(2)O(3) sample reveled agglomerated (1 μm) of nanoparticles of Ni (30–80 nm) however, NiO particles were also identified, probably for the low temperature during the H(2) reduction treatment (350 °C), the Cu/Al(2)O(3) sample presented agglomerates (1–1.5 μm) of nanoparticles (70–150 nm), but only of pure copper. Both surface morphologies were different, but resulted in mesoporous material, with a higher specificity for the Ni sample. The surfaces were used in a new proposal for producing copper and nickel phthalocyanines using a parallel-plate reactor. Phthalonitrile was used and metallic particles were deposited on alumina in ethanol solution with CH(3)ONa at low temperatures; ≤60 °C. The mass-transfer was evaluated in reaction testing with a recent three-resistance model. The kinetics were studied with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The activation energy and Thiele modulus revealed a slow surface reaction. The nickel sample was the most active, influenced by the NiO morphology and phthalonitrile adsorption.