Electrified Microheterogeneous Catalysis of Inorganic Materials.
Abstract
Electrified Microheterogeneous Catalysis (EMC) is a novel electrochemical method in which an electrifying force (potential, current or field) is applied to a low ionic strength dispersion of catalytically active heterogeneous materials to affect organic transformations at low temperatures and in the absence of light or co-oxidants. This investigation involved the evaluation of the EMC method with three families of heterogeneous catalysts: polyoxometalates, semiconducting metal oxides and humic acid with a model substrate: tetrahydrothiophene (THT), an organic sulfide. This research program had four important conclusions: (1) The reaction rates of the EMC method are 12-60 times faster than conventional chemical and photochemical catalysis. (2) In terms of product distributions, the EMC method competes well against conventional methods for the oxidation of organic sulfides. (3) The EMC method produces C-S and/or C-C bond cleavage products from the organic sulfide; indicating that sweetening of fuel feedstocks is possible. (4) Proton transfer ability, not electronic structure or adsorption sites is the most important factor in THT oxidation using EMC methods.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 19, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA318438
Entities
People
- Carol A. Bessel
Organizations
- Villanova University