The Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine catalyst system is one of the most convenient and versatile catalyst systems for selective aerobic oxidation of organic substrates. This report describes the catalytic mechanism of Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine-mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol, which has been studied by gas-uptake kinetic methods and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The data reveal that turnover-limiting substrate oxida...

The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS) with a double AuPtPd/SnO₂ and Pt/α-Al₂O₃ catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO₂, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis of the c...

Concentrated livestock feeding operations have become a source of odorous gas emissions that impact air quality. Comprehensive and practical technologies are needed for a sustainable mitigation of the emissions. In this study, we advance the concept of using a catalyst for barn walls and ceilings for odor mitigation. Two catalysts, a new TiO2-based catalyst, PureTi Clean, and a conventional Evo...

The aim of this study was to increase the yield of biodiesel produced by Scenedesmus sp. through in situ transesterification by optimizing various process parameters. Based on the orthogonal matrix analysis for the acidic catalyst, the effects of the factors decreased in the order of reaction temperature (47.5%) > solvent quantity (26.7%) > reaction time (17.5%) > catalyst amount (8.3%). Based ...

In polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), because the reaction rate in the cathode is slower than that in the anode, the cathode catalyst layers require more catalyst loading than the anodes [1]. Much research has been focused on improving the catalytic activity in cathodes and simultaneously reducing the amount of Pt supported by carbon black, which is the most commonly used cathode...

PtRu catalyst is a promising anodic catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) but the slow reaction kinetics reduce the performance of DMFCs. Therefore, this study attempts to improve the performance of PtRu catalysts by adding nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe). Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are used to increase the active area of the catalyst and to improve the catalyst performance. Elec...

Fenton oxidation, an advanced oxidation process, is an efficient method for the treatment of recalcitrant wastewaters. Unfortunately, it utilizes H2O2 and iron-based homogeneous catalysts, which lead to the formation of high volumes of sludge and secondary pollutants. To overcome these problems, an alternate option is the usage of heterogeneous catalyst. In this study, a heterogeneous catalyst ...

The transition states in kinetic processes are often experimentally elusive. Computational tools can be used to gain an atomistic perspective into these transition states. A learning tool to guide students through the complexities of the theory while gaining an appreciation for the coupling of thermodynamic and kinetic processes is explored here. A computational protocol which hinges on combini...

In 1981 Pecoraro and Chianelli reported a complete study of catalytic behavior of transition metal sulfides catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) [1], in which was found a periodic tendency of the metallic sulfides activity, where ruthenium sulfide showed the highest HDS activity. These results were corroborated later by Raje et al. [2] and Liaw et al. [3], further s...