Nanostructured macro-mesoporous zirconia impregnated by noble metal for catalytic total oxidation of toluene

Hierarchical bimodal macro-mesoporous zirconia, oxide has been synthesized by a simple method in the presence of CTMABr surfactant. The synthesized zirconia having uniform macropores of 300-600 nm in diameter with wormhole-like mesoporous walls and high surface area was calcined at 400 and 600 degrees C and impregnated with 0.5 wt.% of palladium and compared with classical 0.5 wt.% Pd/ZrO2 catalyst for toluene oxidation. The highest activity of 0.5 wt.%/macro-mesoporous zirconia calcined at 600 degrees C was mainly explained by a rather high Pd dispersion and by H-2-TPR measurements showing a higher quantity of PdO species easily reducible at 0 degrees C. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.