Katya Milenova

Ozone decomposition on Ag/SiO2 and Ag/clinoptilolite catalysts at ambient temperature

Silver modified zeolite (Bulgarian natural clinoptilolite) and Ag/silica catalysts were synthesized by ion exchange and incipient wet impregnation method respectively and characterized by different techniques. DC arc-AES was used for Ag detection. XRD spectra show that Ag is loaded over the surface of the SiO(2) sample and that after the ion-exchange process the HEU type structure of clinoptilolite is retained. UV-VIS (specific reflection at 310 nm) and IR (band at 695 cm(-1)) spectroscopy analysis proved that silver is loaded as a T-atom into zeolite channels as Ag(+), instead of Na(+), Ca(2+), or K(+) ions, existing in the natural clinoptilolite form. The samples Ag/SiO(2) and Ag-clinoptilolite were tested as catalysts for decomposition of gas phase ozone. Very high catalytic activity (up to 99%) was observed and at the same time the catalysts remained active over time at room temperature.

Porous Texture of CuO Prepared from Copper Oxalate Precursor

The porous texture of CuO obtained from CuC2O4 • 0.5H2O as a precursor, as well as the interconnection between the texture of the initial oxalate and that of the copper oxide obtained, has been studied by physisorption, XRD, XPS and SEM methods. The dimensions of the particle aggregates and the crystalline particles were altered as a consequence of the thermal decomposition of CuC2O4 • 0.5H2O to CuO, and this led to an increase of ca. 1.5-times in the specific surface of the CuO obtained relative to that of the initial substance. The comparatively non-uniform sizes of the intra-aggregate mesopores in CuC2O4 • 0.5H2O were transformed into considerably smaller intra-aggregate mesopores in CuO. A finite increase in the volume of the intra-crystallite pores in CuO was also observed, although this did not change the average size of the intra-crystallite pores in the oxide obtained nor the character of the pore-size distribution with respect to the starting material. In addition, as a result of the thermal decomposition of CuC2O4 • 0.5H2O, the mesoporosity of the prepared oxide also developed. However, the CuO component retained the textural type characteristic of the initial CuC2O4 • 0.5H2O.

Ozone decomposition on ZnO catalysts obtained from different precursors

Abstract Kinetic investigations for ozone conversion on three different series of zinc oxide catalysts, containing pure ZnO and doped with Mn or Cu one with dopant content less than 1 wt.% were carried out. The different samples were obtained from carbonate, nitrate and acetate precursors. The as prepared catalysts were characterized by AAS, XRD, IR, EPR and BET methods. The mean size of the crystallites determined by XRD data is in the range 27÷68 nm. The presence of Mn2+ and Cu2+ ions into the ZnO matrix was established by EPR. The ozone decomposition was investigated for 30÷75°C temperature range. The zinc carbonate precursor samples show highest activity, while the nitrate precursor ones show lowest activity toward reaction decomposition of ozone in the whole temperature range. At 75°C two of the catalyst, obtained from carbonate precursor - ZnO and CuZnO show 100% conversion.

MANGANESE-DOPED ZINC OXIDE NANOPOWDERS FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC DECOLORATION OF REACTIVE BLACK 5 TEXTILE DYE

Zinc oxide photocatalysts doped with manganese (0.04‐1 at.%) were synthesized via precipitation technique. Their characteristics were studied by Xray diraction (XRD) and BET analysis. The calculated mean size of the crystallites was in the range of 31‐45 nm. Manganese doping of ZnO samples results in slight decrease in crystalline size. Increasing the Mn content in ZnO powders results in a lower photocatalytic activity. The pure ZnO nanopowders decolorate Reactive Black 5 dye under ultraviolet light to almost 92% for 2 h.