Oxidation of Methanol and Dichloromethane on TiO 2 -CeO 2 -CuO, TiO 2 -CeO 2 and TiO 2 -CuO@VUKOPOR ® A Ceramic Foams.

The application-attractive form of TiO 2 , CeO 2 and CuO-based open-cell foam supported catalysts was designed to investigate their catalytic performance in oxidation of two model volatile organic compounds-methanol and dichloromethane. TiO 2 -CeO 2 , TiO 2 -CuO and TiO 2 -CeO 2 -CuO catalysts as thin films were deposited on VUKOPOR ® A ceramic foam using a reverse micelles-controlled sol-gel method, dip-coating and calcination. Three prepared catalytic foams were investigated via light-off tests in methanol and dichloromethane oxidation in the temperature range of 45-400 °C and 100-500 °C, respectively, at GHSV of 11, 600 h -1 , which fits to semi-pilot/industrial conditions. TiO 2 -CuO@VUKOPOR ® A foam showed the best catalytic activity and CO 2 yield in methanol oxidation due to its low weak Lewis acidity, high weak basicity and easily reducible CuO species and proved good catalytic stability within 20 h test. TiO 2 -CeO 2 -CuO@VUKOPOR ® A foam was the best in dichloromethane oxidation. Despite of its lower catalytic activity compared to TiO 2 -CeO 2 @VUKOPOR ® A foam, its highly-reducible -O-Cu-Ce-O- active surface sites led to the highest CO 2 yield and the highest weak Lewis acidity contributed to the highest HCl yield. This foam also showed the lowest amount of chlorine deposits.