Calcination of Metal Oxide/Activated Carbon Catalysts Under Electromagnetic Fields

Abstract

ABSTRACTEffects of microwave heating were investigated for calcining metal-oxide precursors that were supported on an activated carbon. To obtain the heterogeneous metal oxide/activated carbon catalysts, calcination of the precursors impregnated onto the activated carbon was executed for 10 minutes at 300°C within a cavity of 2.45 GHz microwave. Such an electromagnetic treatment was compared with the calcination in a conventional muffle furnace. Activities for the oxidation of the benzene or oil adsorbed on the catalysts prepared by the two methods were examined with a micro-pulse reactor as well as with thermogravimetric analysis. Experiments revealed that the time required for the calcination in the electromagnetic field is much shorter than that in the muffle furnace. The catalytic activities in the low-temperature oxidation were also enhanced by the application of microwave in the calcination. In addition, the oxidative reaction of the adsorbates could be obtained without the activated carbon being burned. The microwave effects were outstanding for Co3O4/activated carbon catalysts.