Synthesis design of Cu/Al2O3 catalysts to decrease copper leaching in the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenol

SACCO, NICOLÁS; LOVATO, MARÍA EUGENIA; MARCHESINI, FERNANDA ALBANA; DEVARD, ALEJANDRA

Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters

Elsevier

Año: 2022

2666-9110

This work aims to study the catalytic performance of Cu/Al2O3 catalysts in thecatalytic reaction of oxidation of phenol. The addition of La and Mn to Al2O3 supportand the calcination temperature influence on the catalytic performance and Cu leachingwere studied. The addition of either La or Mn to the support triggered less Cu leachingcompared to the unmodified support. The catalysts modified with Mn and calcined at650ºC and 900°C yielded low Cu leaching values and high phenol conversions at 120min of reaction, achieving total consumption of H2O2. The catalysts prepared in thesame way but modified with La and calcined at 900°C, achieved 100% phenolconversion and higher TOC conversion. Copper leaching was higher when the supportwas modified with La, but improved when compared to the unmodified support,suggesting that the presence of Mn allowed a better anchoring of Cu on the support.However, this was not beneficial for the reaction since a certain amount of Cu in thehomogeneous phase was required for the reaction to start. Cu-La-Al2O3 showed stabilityafter consecutive reaction cycles with the corresponding calcinations in each cycle.