Insights into the Performance of Bimetallic Ru-Co/TiO2 Catalysts Carrying out a Low Temperature C3H8 Oxidation Reaction

Abstract

AbstractThe performance of a set of bimetallic Ru-Co catalysts dispersed on the TiO2 anatase phase, synthesized by the co-deposition–precipitation with urea method, was tested in the CO2 production by the entire oxidation of C3H8. The presence of properly dispersed ruthenium nanoparticles on a Co/TiO2-anatase support was notably favorable for enhancing the C3H8 activity/selectivity. Likewise, an increase in the combined acidity (Brönsted and Lewis) was also observed, and the interaction between Ru0-CoOx species stabilized on TiO2 prompted the C3H8 oxidation at low temperature. The performance of bimetallic Ru-Co/TiO2 catalysts was enhanced by increasing Ru0 species and loading, showing more efficient C3H8 oxidation by the combination of Ru0-CoOx, as revealed by DRIFTS, XPS, H2-TPR, and HAADF-STEM characterization outcomes. The higher acidity of the catalysts containing Ru (1.5 wt%) and Co (3 wt%) as well as the reducibility enhancement of the Ru and Co species led to the best capacity of these catalysts for C3H8 oxidation to CO2 under the experimental conditions employed in this study. Graphical Abstract