3D Printing in Heterogeneous Catalysis-The State of the Art.

This paper describes the process of additive manufacturing and a selection of three-dimensional (3D) printing methods which have applications in chemical synthesis, specifically for the production of monolithic catalysts. A review was conducted on reference literature for 3D printing applications in the field of catalysis. It was proven that 3D printing is a promising production method for catalysts.

Catalytic Behavior of Chromium Oxide Supported on Nanocasting-Prepared Mesoporous Alumina in Dehydrogenation of Propane.

Mesoporous alumina with narrow pore size distribution centered in the range of 4.4-5.0 nm and with a specific surface area as high as 270 m²·g-1 was prepared via the nanocasting approach using a CMK-3 carbon replica as a hard template. Based on this support, a series of catalysts containing 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 wt % of chromium was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation, characterized, and studied in the dehydrogenation of propane to propene (PDH). Cr species in three oxidation states-Cr(III), Cr(V) and Cr(VI)-were found on the oxidized surface of the catalysts. The concentration of these species varied with the total Cr loading. Temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis-DRS) studies revealed that Cr(VI) species dominated at the lowest Cr content. An increase in the Cr loading resulted in an appearance of an increasing amount of Cr(III) oxide. UV-Vis-DRS measurements performed in situ during the PDH process showed that at the beginning of the catalytic test Cr(VI) species were reduced to Cr(III) redox species. A crucial role of the redox species in the PDH process over the catalysts with the low Cr content was confirmed. The stability test for the catalyst containing 20 wt % of Cr showed that this sample exhibited the reproducible catalytic performance after the first four regeneration-dehydrogenation cycles. Moreover, this catalyst had higher resistance on deactivation during the PDH process as compared to the reference catalyst with the same Cr loading, but was supported on commercially available alumina.

In situ UV-Vis DRS evidence of Cr2+ species oxidation by CO2.

In situ UV-Vis DRS investigations have revealed that the Cr(2+) species, which dominate on the surface of a CO-reduced Cr/SBA-1 catalyst, can be oxidized by CO(2) at a wide range of temperatures. Such an oxidation is a multistep process proceeding probably via carboxylate intermediates.