Palladium based sorbents for high temperature arsine removal from fuel gas

The use of Pd-based sorbents for high temperature removal of AsH(3) from gasified coal was investigated using a simulated gas feed. A sorbent consisting of 5 wt% Pd on alumina beads has been tested for AsH3 removal from synthetic fuel gas (CO, CO(2), H(2)) at 204 and 288 degrees C. Arsenic uptake was found to be essentially linear with exposure time and considerably higher than that for unpromoted alumina beads. Arsenic loadings in excess of 7 wt% were achieved, though the sorbent is unlikely to be saturated at this loading. As the arsenic loading on the sorbent increased a PdAs(2) phase was identified in the XRD pattern. The adsorption of arsine on palladium has potential implications for catalysts, electrodes, and membranes for the separation of hydrogen from fuel gas. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.