ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Sol–gel citrate procedure to synthesize Ag/Co₃O₄ catalysts with enhanced activity for propane catalytic combustion

Lijun Cheng, Zhao Liu, Shanliang Yuan, Min Wei, Xin Hu, Biao Zhang, and Yi Jiang

Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China

E-mail: yjiang@cioc.ac.cn

Received: 27 May 2019  Accepted: 12 November 2019

Abstract:

The Co₃O₄ and Ag/Co₃O₄ catalysts with varying content of Ag were fabricated via sol–gel citrate procedure, which were used for propane total oxidation. First, Ag⁺ and/or Co²⁺ ions coordinate with citric acid to form silver and/or cobalt citrate complex, then calcined to produce Ag/Co₃O₄ catalysts. Among all the catalysts, the 6%Ag/Co₃O₄ sample exhibited a much higher catalytic performance, with 90% conversion of propane at only 228 °C, which was 24 °C lower than that of pure Co₃O₄ catalyst. Characterization results showed that the introduction of Ag decreased the particle size of Co₃O₄, increased the Co³⁺/(Co³⁺+Co²⁺) ratio and surface adsorption oxygen content, and enhanced the low-temperature reducibility, which resulted in the outstanding catalytic performance.

Graphic Abstract:

Keywords: Ag/Co3O4 catalysts; Propane combustion; Strong interaction; Active oxygen species

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00994-5

Chemical Papers 74 (5) 1449–1457 (2020)