Ethanol conversion on oxide supported noble metal catalysts

The use of biomass-derived alcohols in internal combustion engines results in lower total greenhouse gas formation. However, alcohols pose new challenges with regards to the increased formation of aldehydes and ketones, which are air contaminants and significant precursors of smog formation. A methodology that combines experimental analyses with computational modeling was applied to understand the basic aspects of ethanol catalytic oxidation on oxide supported noble metal catalysts. High temperature in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy analyses and first-principles density-functional theory calculations were used to attain a fundamental understanding of surface phenomena associated with the catalytic conversion of ethanol. Results obtained from the study of catalyst samples containing platinum, rhodium, and palladium supported on titania, alumina, zirconia, ceria, and silica will be presented and discussed.