Methanol oxidation species

Whereas in the indirect pathway, COad is clearly identified as a reaction intermediate, the specific nature of the intermediate(s) in the direct pathway is under debate. For methanol oxidation, species such as COH [Xia et al., 1997 Iwasita et al., 1987, 1992 Iwasita and Nart, 1997], CHO [Zhu et al., 2001 Willsau and Heitbaum, 1986 Wilhehn et al., 1987], COOH [Zhu et al., 2001], and adsorbed formate species [Chen et al., 2003] have been proposed. Adsorbed formate species were identified during formaldehyde oxidation [Samjeske et al., 2007], methanol oxidation [Nakamura et al., 2007 Chen et al., 2003, unpublished], and fornfic acid oxidation [Miki et al., 2002, 2004 Samjeske and Osawa, 2005 Chen et al., 2006a, b, c Samjeske et al., 2005, 2006]. 

Oxidation Catalysis. The multiple oxidation states available in molybdenum oxide species make these exceUent catalysts in oxidation reactions. The oxidation of methanol (qv) to formaldehyde (qv) is generally carried out commercially on mixed ferric molybdate—molybdenum trioxide catalysts. The oxidation of propylene (qv) to acrolein (77) and the ammoxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile (qv) (78) are each carried out over bismuth—molybdenum oxide catalyst systems. The latter (Sohio) process produces in excess of 3.6 x 10 t/yr of acrylonitrile, which finds use in the production of fibers (qv), elastomers (qv), and water-soluble polymers. 

Using the colloidal Pt(i t ) + RU c/C catalysts described above, the optimal atomic ratio depends upon methanol concentration, cell temperature, and applied potential, as shown by the Tafel plots recorded with methanol concentrations of 1.0 and 0.1 M at T = 298K (Fig. 11.4) and 318K (Fig. 11.5). Some authors have stated that for potentials between 0.35 and 0.6 V vs. RHE, the slow reaction rate between adsorbed CO and adsorbed OH species must be responsible for the rate of the overall process [Iwasita et al., 2000]. From these results, it can be underlined that, at a given constant potential lower than 0.45-0.5 V vs. RHE, an increase in temperature requires an increase in Ru content to enhance the rate of methanol oxidation, and that, at a given constant potential greater than 0.5 V vs. RHE, an increase in temperature requites a decrease in Ru content to enhance the rate of methanol oxidation. 

For potentials higher than 0.5 V vs. RHE, the formation of adsorbed oxygen species at Ru as well as at Pt will block the catalytic surface, leading to a decrease in the methanol adsorption kinetics. Therefore, in a potential range higher than 0.5 V vs. RHE, the kinetics of methanol oxidation is optimized at a Ru-poor catalyst, because methanol adsorption is not blocked and because the presence of Ru provides the extra oxygen atom needed to complete the oxidation of adsorbed CO to CO2. 

OH/oxide species. At potentials anodic of 1 V, incomplete oxidation of formaldehyde to formic acid is activated, while methanol oxidation is almost completely hindered. This reflects an easier oxidation of the C-H group in the aldehyde than in the alcohol. For the negative-going scan, where the COadouble-peak stmcture in the current efficiency. 

The fact that electrodes prepared with Sn02 [95] also show catalytic properties upon methanol oxidation does not invalidate the result that Sn(II) species are actually responsible for the observed effects. It could be possible for SnOz to be reduced to SnO (or SnOH+) at the potentials where the catalytic effect is observed. 

The spectra in Figure 2.44(b) show the dependence of the EMIRS response on the amplitude of the potential modulation. These were reported to indicate a decrease in coverage by adsorbed species on entering the region of sustained methanol oxidation, as would be expected. 

The extra oxygen decreased the activation energy of C-H bond scission of the methoxy, which is the rate-limiting step of the selective methanol oxidation. TPD spectra of CO indicate that extra oxygen species reduce the electron density of Mo atoms in MoNC rows. This modification causes the decrease of the activation energy for the methoxy dehydrogenation. The extra oxygen is... 

Because the initial oxygen concentration determines the relative abundance of specific abstracting radicals, ethanol oxidation, like methanol oxidation, shows a variation in the relative concentration of intermediate species according to the overall stoichiometry. The ratio of acetaldehyde to ethene increases for lean mixtures. 

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