“Synthesis, properties and application of CuO-(CeO2, La2O3)/support catalysts in decontamination technologies of volatile aromatic compounds”

Author, institution: Aurimas Urbutis, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field: Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering

The Doctoral Dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University ofTechnology (K. Donelaicio St. 20, Kaunas).

Scientific Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Saulius KITRYS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T).

Dissertation Defense Board of Chemical Engineering Science Field:

Prof. Dr. Raimundas ŠIAUČIŪNAS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T) – chairman;

Prof. Dr. Kęstutis BALTAKYS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T);

Prof. Dr. Habil. Aivaras KAREIVA (Vilnius University, Physical Sciences, Chemistry – 03P);

Dr. Rimantas LEVINSKAS (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering – 08T);

Prof. Dr. Virgilijus VALEIKA (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T).

Annotation:

Anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC) are harmful and cause negative impact on air quality, human health and the surrounding environment. Therefore, VOC removal technologies are significant environmental and chemical engineering problem. Volatile aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) are ones of the most difficultly decontaminable substances. The most widely studied decontamination technique of VOC is the heterogeneous catalytic oxidation. CuO is one of the most active single metal oxides in VOC oxidation reactions. La, especially Ce and other rare-earth metals and their oxides have gained interest in low-temperature heterogeneous catalytic processes. CuO-CeO₂ and CuO-La₂O₃ dispersed on high specific surface area support may be used as a dual function material – adsorbent-catalyst. Such system concentrates VOC from contaminated air passing through the adsorptive reactor. The adsorbed VOC are then oxidized into CO₂ and water vapor by raising the temperature of the adsorbent-catalyst bed. At low concentrations of contaminants this alternative technology becomes more economical compared to conventional VOC catalytic oxidation. The Aim of the work is to develop supported CuO-CeO₂ and CuO-La₂O₃ catalysts, determine their properties and their usage in complete oxidation technologies of benzene, toluene and o-xylene.