PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ZRO2 STABILIZED WITH RU(IV) AND LA(III)

Ruthenium oxide, dispersed on oxide supports such as TiO//2, SiO//2 and ZrO//2, are known to show Fischer-Tropsch activity. Little is known about the catalyst-support interactions which must play an important role in the catalytic activity of dispersed ruthenium oxide. The strength of catalytic support interaction may be directly related to the stability of the dispersed catalyst towards reduction. Hence, solid solutions of Ru(IV)/ZrO//2 have been prepared, and the resulting stability of Ru(IV) toward reduction with hydrogen was measured and compared with that of bulk RuO//2. The observed increase instability toward reduction was related to interaction between RuO//2 and ZrO//2. The introduction of a small amount of La//2O//3 with the ZrO//2 produced further stabilization of the Ru(IV) toward reduction.