Total oxidation of naphthalene using palladium nanoparticles supported on BETA, ZSM-5, SAPO-5 and alumina powders

A range of catalysts based on Pd nanoparticles supported on inorganic supports such as BETA and ZSM-5 zeolites, a silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve (SAPO-5) and γ-alumina as a standard support have been tested for the total oxidation of naphthalene (100 ppm, total flow 50 ml/min) showing a conversion to carbon dioxide of 100% between 165 and 180 °C for all the analysed catalysts. From the combined use of zeolites with PVP polymer protected Pd based nanoparticles, enhanced properties have been found for the total abatement of naphthalene in contrast with other kinds of catalysts. A Pd/BETA catalyst has been demonstrated to have excellent activity, with a high degree of stability, as shown by time on line experiments maintaining 100% conversion to CO2 during the 48 h tested.

The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and PLAN E funds (Project CTQ2009-10813/PPQ) and Generalitat Valenciana and FEDER (PROMETEO/2009/047) for financial support. F.J. Varela-Gandía thanks the University of Alicante for the PhD studentship. Á. Berenguer-Murcia thanks the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation for a Ramon y Cajal fellowship (RyC 2009-03913).