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AuCu/CeO2 bimetallic catalysts for the selective oxidation of fatty alcohol ethoxylates to alkyl ether carboxylic acids

Gu, Q., Fang, W.-H., Wischert, R., Zhou, W-J., Michel, C. and Pera-Titus, M. 2019. AuCu/CeO2 bimetallic catalysts for the selective oxidation of fatty alcohol ethoxylates to alkyl ether carboxylic acids. Journal of Catalysis 380 , pp. 132-144. 10.1016/j.jcat.2019.10.017

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Abstract

We describe in this work the preparation of a series of bimetallic Au-Cu catalysts supported over nanoceria for the direct oxidation of C12-C14-alcohol polyethyleneglycol ether with on average 7 ethyl oxide units (AEO7) to polyoxyethylene lauryl ether carboxylic acid (AECA6), using H2O2 as an oxidant, under basic conditions. Different preparation methods have been used, including deposition-precipitation, incipient wetness impregnation and wet impregnation for engineering the interaction between Au, Cu and nanoceria. The structure of the bimetallic catalysts is discussed in detail on the basis of refined characterization by XRD, HR-TEM, STEM-EDX-SDD, XPS and ICP-AES. The formation of a AuCu alloy over nanoceria at a Cu/Au molar ratio of 0.11 on Au allows a significant enhancement of the catalytic activity, resulting in an AECA6 yield up to 80% with a selectivity of 90%. The catalyst can be recycled and reused for at least 10 consecutive runs without apparent loss of activity. Detailed DFT calculations on Au, Cu and Au-Cu model alloys reveal a positive role of Cu on Au by favoring the adsorption of AEO7, H2O2 and OH− on the catalyst surface compared to pure Au, as well as by reducing the energy barrier for H2O2 cleavage. Isolated Cu sites on the Au-Cu alloy appear as crucial for enhancing the catalytic properties for AEO7 oxidation.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Chemistry
Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI)
Publisher: Elsevier
ISSN: 0021-9517
Date of Acceptance: 10 October 2019
Last Modified: 13 Jan 2021 10:00
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/137478

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