F. Hayashi et al. / Journal of Catalysis 316 (2014) 112–120
113
vacuum. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, FE-SEM,
images were collected with a Hitachi HR-S5500. Powder X-ray
diffraction, PXRD, patterns were measured using a Rigaku Ultima
2. Experimental
2.1. Preparation of metal-modified ceria catalysts
IV diffractometer with monochromated Cu
K
a
radiation
(k = 0.15418 nm, 40 kV, 40 mA). Temperature-programmed
reduction with hydrogen, H2-TPR, profiles were recorded with a
BEL Japan BelCat. X-ray photoelectron (XP) spectra were measured
with an Omicron EA125 XPS system. All binding energies were
corrected using the values of C 1s (285.0 eV). X-ray absorption fine
structure, XAFS, analysis was carried out at the BL-9C station of the
Photon Factory at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organiza-
tion, Japan. The energy and current of electrons in the storage ring
were 2.5 GeV and 350 mA, respectively. Energy calibration was
performed using a Cu foil (8.9788 keV). Prior to the measurements,
the samples were evacuated at 673 K. Data analysis was performed
using the REX2000 program (Ver. 2.5.9, Rigaku). The k3-weighted
extended X-ray absorption fine structure, EXAFS, oscillation was
Fourier-transformed (FT) into the r space using the k range of
3.0–14.0 Åꢀ1 for Y or 3.0–10.0 Åꢀ1 for Ce. Curve fitting analysis
was carried out in the r range 1.2–2.2 Å for the Y–O contribution
or 1.5–2.3 Å for the Ce–O to calculate the average nearest neighbor
coordination number and the average bond lengths of Y–O and
Ce–O. Backscattering amplitudes and phase-shift functions were
calculated from the crystal structures of Y2O3 and CeO2 using the
FEFF6 code.
Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectra
were measured in a DR-600Bi diffuse reflectance cell using Jasco
FTIR-6300 spectrometer equipped with a MCT detector. Self-
supported KBr plates were used as windows for the cells. Scan
times and a resolution were 32 and 4 cmꢀl, respectively. The
KBr powder evacuated at 303 K was used as a reference. Prior
to the measurements, the sample was evacuated at 673 K for
1 h. Pyridine (>99.5%, Wako) or CO2 (>99%, GL Sciences) was
introduced onto the sample at 303 K for 5 min and then
evacuated at the same temperature for 30 min. All spectra were
recorded as the difference spectra before and after the introduc-
tion of adsorbates.
Ceria-based catalysts were prepared using
a
conventional
impregnation method or a co-precipitation method. In the former,
the parent ceria, obtained from Catalysis Society of Japan
(JRC-CEO-3, 85 m2 gꢀ1), was impregnated using aqueous solutions
of the metal salts: nitrates of Li, Mg, Ca, Y, La, Sm, Er, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni,
Cu, Zn, Rh, Cd, Al, In, and Bi, acetates of Sc and Sn, ammonium salts
of Ti, V, Nb, Mo, W, and Re, alkoxides of Ta and Si, and chloride of Ir.
In the latter, Ce(NO3)3ꢁ6H2O, Y(NO3)3ꢁ6H2O, and ammonium
hydrogen carbonate were used as precursors and a precipitant,
respectively, and the solid solution was prepared according to
the literature [22]. All samples were calcined at 873 K for 5 h in
air. Catalysts prepared by the impregnation and the co-precipitation
method are denoted by M(x)/CeO2 and M(x)-CeO2, respectively,
where M and x represent the metal used and the atomic % to that
of Ce.
2.2. Measurement of catalytic activity
Ethanol (>99.5%, Kanto chemical) was used without further
purification. The continuous flow reactions were conducted in a
fixed-bed plug-flow reactor made of quartz (i.d. 10 mm) at an
atmospheric pressure under the following conditions: catalyst
weight 0.05–2.0 g (particle diameter, 300–600 lm), total flow rate
12–32 ml minꢀ1, partial pressure of ethanol (PEtOH) 30 vol%, PH2O
0–30 vol%, N2 balance. Before the catalytic runs, the catalysts were
heated in a N2 flow at 673 K for 1 h. The products were analyzed
with an online automatic gas chromatograph (AG-1, Round Sci-
ence) equipped with four kinds of packed columns: (1) activated
charcoal, (2) MS 5A, (3) Porapak Q, and (4) PEG-20 M. The columns
1–3 were independently connected to the three TCD detectors to
determine the yields of ethene, CO, and CO2. The column 4 was
connected to the FID detector to determine the yields of other car-
bon products. The C4–C7 hydrocarbons and oxygenated products
were analyzed as needed with an offline FID gas chromatograph
(GC-2014, Shimadzu) with a capillary column of CP-7561 (10 m,
Varian) or GS-Q (30 m, Agilent). Conversion levels of ethanol and
yields of carbon products (CnHxOy, n = carbon number) were calcu-
lated by Eqs. (1) and (2), where the partial pressures of ethanol
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Additive effect of metals on activity of ceria catalysts
before and after the reaction are denoted by PEtOH and PE0 tOH
respectively.
,
Table 1 summarizes the activity of various ceria catalysts mod-
ified with mainly 10 atom% metal additives, in which the data after
0.75 h are shown because the activity was often changed with
duration. The metals were listed in the sequence of the family.
The surface areas of M(10)/CeO2 are also summarized in the table
and were roughly constant at 52–61 m2 gꢀ1 independent of the
metal additives.
The conversion degrees of ethanol were all 80–100% under the
present reaction conditions. Among 31 metals, the addition of Y,
Sm, Ti, Nb, or Ta increased the propene yield, while that of Fe,
Co, Cu, Zn, Sn, or Bi increased the acetone yield. The formation of
acetone on the latter group was well consistent with the previous
reports on ZnO- and CeO2-based catalysts [2–6] that were active
for the conversions of Cx-alcohols to C2xꢀ1 ketones. As shown in
Run 18 of Table 1, the Nb(10)/CeO2 catalyst exhibited the highest
propene yield of 32%, but its activity was not stable. The deactiva-
tion with duration was also observed on the Ti- or Ta-modified
CeO2 catalyst. In contrast, the Y(10)/CeO2 catalyst showed no deac-
tivation during continuous service of 80 h, although the propene
yield, 19% (Run 6), was lower than those on the Nb(10)/CeO2 and
the Ti(10)/CeO2. Based on the high propene yield or the long life,
the Nb- and Y-modified ceria were selected as the catalysts in
the subsequent detailed study.
Ethanol conv: ð%Þ ¼ 100ð1 ꢀ ðP0EtOH=PEtOHÞðPN2=PN0 2ÞÞ
ð1Þ
Cn Yield ð%Þ ¼ 100ðn P0 =2PEtOHÞðPN2=P0N2Þ
ð2Þ
Cn
For pulse experiments, ethyl acetate (>99.5%, Kanto chemical),
acetic acid (>99.5%, Kanto chemical), acetone (>99.9%, Aldrich),
and ethanol (>99.5%, Kanto chemical) were used as substrates
without further purification. Each substrate with volume of 2
was fed into the catalyst bed in the quartz glass reactor (i.d.
ll
7.6 mm) at 403 K under the following conditions: catalyst weight
0.1 g (particle diameter, 300–600 lm), total flow rate 10-
80 ml minꢀ1, N2 balance. As needed, ethanol, water, or H2 gas
was used as a co-reactant. The pretreatment and the product anal-
ysis methods were the same as those for the continuous flow
reactions.
2.3. Characterization
N2 adsorption isotherms were determined at 77 K with an
automatic gas sorption meter BEL Japan Belsorp mini II. Before
the measurements, the samples were degassed at 423 K for 2 h in