Carbon supported platinum catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation of refractory carboxylic acids

Carbon supported platinum (1% wt) catalysts were prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method and by organometallic chemical vapor deposition. Catalyst characterization was carried out by means of adsorption and thermogravimetric techniques, and by electron microscopy. The catalyst with higher metal dispersion was produced by incipient wetness impregnation. The catalysts were tested in the catalytic wet air oxidation (200 degrees C and 6.9 bar of oxygen partial pressure) of aqueous solutions containing low molecular weight (C-2 to C-4) carboxylic acids. Significant conversions (greater than 60% over 2 h) and 100% selectivity towards water and non-carboxylic acid products were observed for both systems. The initial reaction rate was used to compare the performance of the two catalytic materials and direct correspondence to the metal dispersion was found. No metal leaching was observed during reaction and no significant deactivation occurred in three successive catalytic oxidation runs. A kinetic model based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood formulation was applied and the results were analyzed in terms of a heterogeneously catalyzed free radical mechanism.