A Phosphorus-Modified Ultralow Content Ru Catalyst for Acetylene Hydrochlorination

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Reducing noble metal loading is crucial for cost-effective catalysis.
• Maintaining high catalytic performance with low metal content remains a significant challenge.
• Developing efficient and stable catalysts for acetylene hydrochlorination is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer an ultralow-content ruthenium (Ru) catalyst with high catalytic activity and stability.
• To investigate the synergistic effect between Ru and phosphorus-doped carbon (C-P═O) sites.
• To explore a novel, mercury-free catalytic strategy for acetylene hydrochlorination.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Ru/C-P═O synergistic sites on a phosphorus-doped carbon support.
• Characterization of the catalyst's structure and composition.
• Evaluation of catalytic performance in acetylene hydrochlorination at 180 °C.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate reaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• An ultralow-content Ru catalyst (0.05% Ru/P7AC) was successfully developed.
• The catalyst achieved 94% acetylene conversion at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 60 h⁻¹.
• Synergistic Ru/C-P═O interactions enhanced Ru dispersion, increased high-valence Ru content, and improved acetylene adsorption.
• Enhanced catalyst stability was observed due to inhibited reduction of high-valence Ru and suppressed coke deposition.
• DFT calculations confirmed synergistic effects and proposed a novel reaction pathway involving C-P═O species.

Conclusions:

• The engineered Ru/C-P═O synergistic sites enable ultralow Ru loading with excellent catalytic performance.
• The synergistic interaction is key to enhancing both activity and stability in acetylene hydrochlorination.
• This approach provides a viable strategy for developing efficient, mercury-free noble metal catalysts.