Abstract
Manganese/aluminium mixed oxide solids having the formula 0.2MnCO3/Al2O3 were prepared by mechanical mixing of a known weight of finely powdered manganese carbonate and aluminium hydroxide. The solids obtained were treated with NaNO3 (0.75–6 mol%) solution and dried at 110°C, then calcined in air at 500°C and 800°C for 6 h. The phases produced were identified by XRD analysis. The surface properties (SBET, Vp and r̄) of the pure and doped solids were studied by using N2 adsorption at – 196°C and their catalytic activities were determined by studying the oxidation of CO by O2at 125–300°C.
The results obtained reveal that pure and doped mixed solids preheated in air at 500°C and 800°C consist of Mn2O3 (partridgite) and a poorly crystalline γ-alumina. Doping with sodium oxide at 500°C and 800°C resulted in a small decrease (14–19%) in the SBET value of the treated solids. However, this treatment brought about a significant modification in the catalytic activity of the doped solids. Doping with 0.75% Na2O at 500°C led to an increase of about 30–50% in the specific catalytic activity which was found to decrease on increasing the percentage of Na2O above this limit, falling to values smaller than that measured for the undoped catalyst. Doping at 800°C led to a progressive decrease in the activity of the treated solid to an extent proportional to the amount of dopant present. The doping process at 500°C and 800°C did not modify the mechanism of the catalytic reaction but altered the number of catalytically-active sites contributing in the catalysis of CO oxidation by O2 without changing their energetic nature.
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