A rod-like Co3O4 with high efficiency and large specific surface area for lean methane catalytic oxidation

Abstract

We used SBA-15 as a hard template to successfully prepare a Co3O4 (Co3O4-r) catalyst with a large specific surface area for the catalytic oxidation of lean methane. The catalyst showed excellent performance for the catalytic oxidation of methane, with T50 at 320 °C and T90 at 385 °C. The activity was much higher than that of the Co3O4 cube and Co3O4 sphere. Co3O4-r showed good activity not only in humid conditions but also in high space velocity. Based on the XPS, H2-TPR, O2-TPD and BET analyses, it indicates that Co3O4-r has a larger surface area and more oxygen vacancies than Co3O4 cube and Co3O4 sphere catalysts. For the possible mechanism of the reaction, the carbonate intermediates in the reaction were determined by in-situ DRIFTS.