Non-mercury catalytic acetylene hydrochlorination over bimetallic Au-Ba(II)/AC catalysts

Bimetallic gold-barium catalysts were prepared and assessed for acetylene hydrochlorination, and characterized using low-temperature N-2 adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction/desorption, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The best catalytic performance is obtained over Au1Ba(II)1/AC catalysts with the acetylene conversion of 98.4% and the selectivity to VCM of 99.9%. It is indicated that the addition of Ba(II) can make Au species disperse well and inhibit carbon deposition on the catalyst surface; Ba(II) additives can enhance the adsorption of reactants on the catalysts but also inhibit the reduction of active gold species during the reaction, consequently augmenting the activity and long-term stability of gold catalysts.