A METHOD OF OXIDIZING GASEOUS SUBSTANCES

Abstract: A method is provided for oxidizing gases such as, for example, CO, aldehydes having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5 (eg formaldehyde), ketones having carbon atoms in the range 3 to 5, and alcohols having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5, wherein the gas at a relative humidity in the range 0 to 100% is contacted with a catalyst assembly at a temperature in the range -50° to 250°C. The catalyst assembly comprises a hydrophobic support of at least one substance having a surface area in the range 50 to 1,000m²/g and selected from the group consisting of carbons having a contact angle of at least 50° at 25°C in an aqueous environment, silicalite, silyla­ ted silica, and styrene divinylbenzene polymers, and cata­ lytically active metal on the support, the catalytically active metal consisting of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, man­ ganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, platinum, iridium, nickel, copper and silver, and being pre­ sent in an amount in the range 0.1 to 22 wt % of the total weight of the catalyst assembly. The catalyst assemblies used are generally catalytically active in the presence of liquid water and water vapour for longer periods than known catalyst assemblies and in many instances function well at ambient temperatures.

Description: This invention relates to a method of oxidizing gaseous substances. Known oxidation catalysts for gases such as, for example, CO, alcohols having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and aldehydes having 1 to 5 carbon atoms function very poorly, if at all, in the presence of liquid water and water vapor. Furthermore, these oxidation catalysts function very poorly, if at all, at ambient temperatures. There is a need for a method of oxidizing these gases wherein the catalyst used will function satisfactorily in the presence of liquid water and water vapor and which function satisfactorily at ambient temperatures. Ever since the sharp oil price increases in the mid 1970's, residents have been tightening up their homes against air leakage, to reduce energy consumption and save money. Because the conventional older home was so leaky, the air in it was replaced with outdoor air several times per hour. However, the air in today's energy efficient homes is exchanged as little as once every 5 hours. This can result in an accumulation of pollutants inside the home. One of these pollutants is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is extremely toxic. It has an affinity for blood oxyhemoglobin that is over 200 times greater than that of oxygen. The result is that blood will have a reduced capacity for carrying oxygen if breathing air contains CO. The effect is one of asphyxia. The American Council of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends a threshold limit value time weighted average (TLV-TWA) for CO of 50 ppm for a typical 40 hour work week. Because of a wide variation of individual susceptibility, some people may experience discomfort at levels below the TLV-TWA recommended limit. In addition, it can be argued that the level of CO should be lower in the domestic environment where, for example, infants and children spend nearly their full day. There are no Federal guidelines in the United States regarding the long term exposure of occupants to CO in a domestic environment; however, in Japan there is a guideline of a maximum of 10 ppm of CO for an environment inwhich occupants will be subjected to long term indoor exposure. Thus there is a particular need for a method of oxidizing CO in homes which will function well at ambient temperatures. There is also a need for a method of oxidizing CO in controlled environmental chambers. These include submarines and undersea diving bells and welding chambers. In at least some of these environments, the humidity levels can be high and the desirre for low power consumption is great. There is a further need for a method of oxidizing CO for an efficient CO removal/filtering device for gas masks used, for example, by firetighters. If a suitable method existed, the need to carry bottled air for breathing could in many instances be eliminated. The first, and well known and commonly used,method for carbon monoxide oxidation uses a catalyst that is a proprietary mixture of oxides of manganese and copper marketed under the tradename Hopcalite, by Mine Safety Appliance Company, Pittsburgh, U.S.A. This catalyst is used, for example, to remove CO from the ordinary breathing air in submarines. It has been shown that the catalyst is deactivated by adsorption of water vapor, and can only be used when the relative humidity level is low. In submarines, therefore, the catalyst is kept hot to prevent water adsorption. The second known method of CO oxidation uses transition metal catalysts. The carbon monoxide reaction on transition metals has been widely studied for many years. The pioneering work of Langmuir in this field has set the tone for much of the work that followed, see Langmuir, I., J.Am. Chem. Soc., 37 , 1162, 1915; Trans. Faraday Soc., 621, 1922; Trans. Faraday Soc., 17 , 672, 1922. Practical application of transition metal catalysts for CO oxidation appeared, for example, in the first generation of catalytic converters for automobiles. The catalyst was required to reduce engine CO emission levels as legislated by various governments. These catalysts consisted of platinum and/or palladium deposited onto a highly porous high surface area alumina, with the alumina in the form either of 1.5 - 3 mm pellets or a "wash coat" on the walls of a ceramic or metal monolith. It is well known that alumina is hydrophilic, that is, it has a tendency to attract and adsorb water vapor. Since catalytic converters operate at high temperature (500°C and higher), water vapor present in the gases passing through the converter does not condense in the pores of the alumina support material. Hence the catalyst performance remains high. At ambient temperatures and high relative humidities, however, alumina does adsorb water, and the pores can rapidly become filled with condensed water vapor. Therefore, the type of catalyst used in the automobile catalytic converter cannot remain active for long periods of time unless it is heated to prevent water adsorption. The third known method of CO oxidation uses a catalyst that is variant of what is commonly referred to as the Wacker process catalyst. In the commercial Wacker process, an aqueous solution of CuCl₂ containing traces of PdCl₂ is used in a vertical reactor to partially oxidize ethylene to acetaldhedyde with yields of about 95%, see Thomas, C.L., Catalytic Processes and Proven Catalysts, Academic Press, New York, 1970. The variant of the Wacker process catalyst that has been shown to be active for oxidation of CO is the catalyst marketed under the tradename Low Temperature Catalyst (LTC) by Teledyne Water-Pik Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.A. It consists of CuCl₂ with small amounts of PdCl₂, all supported on porous alumina beads, see Collins, M.F., The Catalysis Society, Ninth North American Meeting, Houston, Texas, 1985, March 17-21. While this catalyst has been shown to remain active over a wide humidity range, it suffers from loss of performance at humidity levels below about 20% or above 65%. This is a type of supported liquid phase catalyst; it is believed that a surface film of water exists on the alumina, providing a solution medium for the CuCl₂/PdCl₂ mixture. Inadequate water renders the catalytic agents inactive by reducing their mobility, while too high a level of moisture results in the pores of the alumina support filling with water, thereby increasing the diffusive resistance for the reactants. This latter case is a similar situation to what would occur with the auto exhaust converter type of alumina catalyst. To summarize, known methods of CO oxidation use catalysts that suffer from an inability to function over a wide range of relative humidity levels, and the problem is particularly exacerbated at high humidity levels, and there is a particular need for a method of CO oxidation wherein the catalyst does not suffer from these drawbacks. According to the present invention there is provided a method of oxidizing at least one gaseous substance selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, aldehydes having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5, ketones having carbon atoms in the range 3 to 5, and alcohols having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5, comprising contacting the gaseous substance, at a relative humidity in the range 0 to 100%, with a catalyst assembly at a temperature in the range -50 to 250°C, the gaseous substance being contacted with the catalyst assembly in the form of a minor amount of a gaseous mixture comprising the gaseous substance, an inert gas and an oxidizing gas therefor, the catalyst assembly comprising a) a hydrophobic, porous support of at least one substance having a surface area in the range 50 to 1000 m²/g and selected from the group consisting of carbons having a contact angle of at least 50° at a temperature of 25°C in an aqueous environment, crystalline silica (SiO₂) essentially free of aluminium oxide in the SiO₂ lattice, silylated silica and styrene divinylbenzene polymers wherein the styrene monomers are of the formula in which A to E are at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl (C₁ to C₄) groups, and a b) catalytically active metal on the suport, the catalytically active metal consisting of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of chronium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osnium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, and silver, the amount of catalytically active metal being in the range 0.1 to 22 wt % of the total weight of the support and catalytically active metal. The gaseous substance may be at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, ethanol, methanol, 2-propanone and formaldehyde. Preferably, the surface area of the support is in the range 200 to 600 m²/g. The support may be of porous copolymerized styrene divinylbenzene. The catalytically active metal may be platinum and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iridium and rhodium, wherein one of the metals is present in the range 1:1 to 40:1 to that of the other catalytically active metal or metals. In the some embodiments of the present invention the catalytically active metal comprises at least two metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, osmium, irridium, cerium, nickel, rhodium and ruthenium, and one of the metals is present in the range 1:1 to 40:1 to that of the other metal or metals present, and preferably one of the said at least two metals is platinum. The catalyst operating temperature is determined by the initial temperature of the gas flowing to the catalyst, and by the heat generated by the reaction. The heat generated by the reaction itself is determined by three factors, the specific heat of reaction, the concentration of the reacting gases and the extent to which the reaction proceeds to completion. This can be expressed as follows: and, as a person skilled in the art will readily understand, it is these parameters that are used to maintain the temperature of the catalyst in the range -50 to 250°C. The oxygen of the gaseous mixture may be, for example, in the form of pure oxygen, air or ozone. The following tests were made to verify the usefulness of catalysts used in methods according to the present invention for CO oxidation and a supported liquid phase Wacker type catalyst was used for comparison. The supported liquid phase Wacker type catalyst was prepared by soaking alumina beads in a CuCl₂/PdCl₂ mixture prepared in the proportions taught by C. L. Thomas in the above publication. Six grams of catalyst was tested at room temperatures at an air flow of 2 L/minute containing 60 ppm CO. Although the test results for the supported liquid phase Wacker type catalyst used in the text indicated a slightly poorer performance than the results given for a similar catalyst by M.F. Collins in the above publication, the trends are similar. The following three catalysts used in methods according to the present invention were used in the tests: Catalyst A : Porous supports of silica granules of size 5 - 10 mesh were platinized so that the platinum loading was between 5 wt % and 10 wt % of the total weight of the catalyst and then the granules were rendered hydrophobic by treatment with a methylsilane. Six grams of this catalyst was tested with 60 ppm of Co in an air flow of 2 L/min at room temperature. Catalyst B : A hydrophobic porous plastic support of the type prepared by the copolymerization of divinylbenzene and styrene was platinized to yield a final loading of between 6 wt % and 10 wt % of the total weight of the catalyst metal and tested in a manner similar to that already described. At 0% relative humidity, conversion of CO to CO₂ was 25%. The humidity level was increased to 50% and conversion increased to 66%. When the humidity level was increased further to 100% the conversion increased to 83%. Catalyst C : A further improvement to catalyst B was tested which comprised a mixture of between 5 wt % and 10 wt % platinum plus 3 wt % to 5 wt % rhodium, based on the total weight of the catalyst metal and the support on a similar hydrophobic plastic support to that used for catalyst B. Tests were performed on two grams of catalyst with air containing 60 and 700 ppm CO at a flow rate of 1.5 L/minute. The results of the tests are given in the following Table I. In a second improvement to catalyst B, a catalyst was tested which comprised a mixture of 9% platinum and 1% rhodium on a hydrophobic plastic support. When 0.4 g of catalyst was tested with 1 L/min of dry air containing 50 ppm CO, 60 to 65% of the CO was reacted. Conversion of CO to CO₂ increased to 70% in the relative humidity range of 20 to 100%. A hydrophobic porous plastic/polymeric support of the type prepared by co-polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene was treated with a solution of the acid chloride salts of platinum and iridium to yield a final metal loading of about 10% with a ratio of Pt to Ir in solution of about 9 to 1. At room temperature and 50% relative humidity, 0.4g of this catalyst reduced the carbon monoxide content of air from 50 ppm to below 10 ppm at an air flow of 1 L/min. Air at 34°C and 100% relative humidity containing 185 ppm by volume of ethanol was also passed over this catalyst. Temperature measurements indicated over 90% reaction of ethanol to carbon dioxide. One gram of a catalyst similar to that described above, except that the metal loadings were doubled, was exposed to flowing dry air containing 2-propanone, and the effluent gas was monitored for water vapour (water vapour is one of the oxidation products). Water vapour was observed in the effluent air, indicating oxidation of 2-propanone. A porous polymeric support similar to that mentioned above was treated with a solution of the acid chloride salt of iridium to yield a final iridium content of about 10%. At room temperature and 50% relative humidity, 0.4g of this catalyst reduced the carbon monoxide content of air from 50 ppm to below 1 ppm at an air flow of 1 L/min. A porous polymeric support similar to that mentioned above was treated with a solution of the acid chloride salt of iridium to yield a final iridium content of about 1%. At room temperature and 50% relative humidity, 0.4 g of this catalyst reduced the carbon monoxide content of air from 50 ppm to 43 ppm at an air flow of 1 L/min. In further tests to verify the usefulness of catalysts used in methods according to the present invention for the oxidation to CO₂ and water of formaldehyde (HCHO) in aqueous solutions, a conventional catalyst comprising platinum on hydrophilic silica was used for comparison. In each of the tests, 1 g of catalyst was used with 200 mL of 1850 ppm formaldehyde in water and purging of CO₂ from the reaction mixture was carried out with air. The results of these tests are given in the following Table II. In the some embodiments of the present invention the hydrophobic support with the catalytically active metal thereon may be in the form of discrete particles deposited on a second, inert, conventional support such as a ceramic support or a metal screen. In these embodiments the discrete particles may be secured to the second support by means of a liquid-water-repellant, water vapor permeable, coating of an organic resin or polymer. The coating may be of polytetrafluoroethylene, a silicone, for example, a polysiloxane such as polyalkylsiloxane having substituent groups selected from hydroxyl, methoxyl, and ethoxyl or a polydimethylsiloxane having a minor amount of substituent groups selected from hydroxyl, methoxyl and ethoxyl and may include at least one substituent selected from the ethyl, propyl, isopropyl and t-butyl groups. The crystalline silica (SiO₂) lattice essentially free of aluminum oxide in the SiO₂ lattice used for the support may be that known as "silicalite" and described in US-A-4061724, dated DECEMBER 6, 1977, R.W. Grose and E.M. Flanigen, and assigned to Union Carbide Corporation. The method according to the present invention may be used to, for example: i) convert CO into CO₂; ii) oxidize aldehydes having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5 (eg formaldehyde); iii) oxidize alcohols having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5 (eg ethanol and methanol), and iv) oxidize ketones having carbon atoms in the range 3 to 5. Catalyst assemblies used in methods according to the present invention are generally catalytically active for longer periods of time than oxidation catalyst assemblies used in known methods in the presence of liquid water and water vapour, and in many instances function well at ambient temperatures.

Claims: 1. A method of oxidizing at least one gaseous substance selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, aldehydes having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5, ketones having carbon atoms in the range 3 to 5, and alcohols having carbon atoms in the range 1 to 5, comprising contacting the gaseous substance, at a relative humidity in the range 0 to 100%, with a catalyst assembly at a temperature in the range -50 to 250°C, the gaseous substance being contacted with the catalyst assembly in the form of a minor amount of a gaseous mixture comprising the gaseous substance, an inert gas and an oxidizing gas therefor, the catalyst assembly comprising a) a hydrophobic, porous support of at least one substance having a surface area in the range 50 to 1000 m²/g and selected from the group consisting of carbons having a contact angle of at least 50° at a temperature of 25°C in an aqueous environment, crystalline silica (SiO₂) essentially free of aluminium oxide in the SiO₂ lattice, silylated silica and styrene divinylbenzene polymers wherein the styrene monomers are of the formula in which A to E are at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl (C₁ to C₄) groups, and a b) catalytically active metal on the support, the catalytically active metal consisting of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of chronium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, and silver, the amount of catalytically active metal being in the range 0.1 to 22 wt % of the total weight of the support and catalytically active metal. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous substance is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, ethanol, methanol, 2-propanone and formaldehyde. 3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the surface area of the support is in the range of 200 to 600 m²/g. 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support is of a porous copolymer of styrene divinylbenzene. 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catalytically active metal comprises at least two metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, osmium, iridium, cerium, nickel, rhodium and ruthenium, and one of the metals is present in the range 1:1 to 40:1 to that of the other metal or metals present. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catalytically active metal is platinum and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iridium and rhodium, one of the metals being present in the range 1:1 to 40:1 to that of the other catalytically active metal or metals. 7. A method according to claim 5, wherein one of the said at least two metals is platinum.

Inventors: CHUANG, KARL T., CLEGG, DAVID ELDON, MCMONAGLE, JAMES B DEPT. OF MATERIALS ENGINEERING, QUAIATTINI, ROBERT J., SEDDON, WILLIAM A.
Applicants: ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LIMITED L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE DU CANADA LIMITEE
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B01D53
IPC codes: B01J33, B01J23, B01J31, B01D53, A62D9