Superior activity of rutile-supported ruthenium nanoparticles for HCl oxidation

The activity of supported Ru-based catalysts in the oxidation of HCl to Cl-2 is shown to be strongly affected by active phase-support interactions and by the way of incorporation of the Ru species. Depositing colloidally prepared Ru nanoparticles on a rutile carrier results in catalysts attaining very high and stable HCl conversion levels under industrially-relevant conditions using ruthenium loadings as low as 0.16 wt%.