Pd/Co3O4 catalyst for CH4 emissions abatement: study of SO2 poisoning effect

A catalyst with 0.7 wt% Pd load supported over Co3O4 oxide was investigated in the methane oxidation by operating under CH4/O2 stoichiometric conditions. The effect of the noble metal addition on the activity of bare Co3O4 was evaluated. Samples were characterized by BET, XRD, TPR and XPS analyses. The SO2 poisoning of Pd catalyst and Co3O4 was studied by performing CH4 oxidation tests under stoichiometric conditions in SO2 (1 ppm or 10 ppm). Experiments evidenced that in our conditions the low amount of SO2 doesn’t influence the Pd behaviour, whereas in presence of 10 ppm of SO2 some deactivation occurs that becomes more evident above 450 °C at which the catalyst doesn’t reach 100% of methane conversion. Catalytic tests performed over Co3O4 and the Pd supported catalyst, after a treatment at 350 °C for 15 h in 10 ppm SO2/He, suggest that Co3O4 is a sulphating support, as confirmed by XPS analysis. Therefore, an important role in lowering the sulphur poisoning of Pd may be played by Co3O4.

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