Catalytic combustion of vinyl chloride emissions over Co_(3)O_(4) catalysts with different crystallite sizes

A series of Co_(3) O_(4) catalysts was prepared by ammonia(Co-AP) and oxalate(Co-OP) precipitation,solgel(Co-SG),and urea hydrothermal(Co-UH) methods,and their physicochemical properties were characterised by numerous techniques including X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),nitrogen sorption,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),temperature-programmed reduction of H_(2)(H_(2)-TPR),temperature-programmed desorption of O_(2)(O_(2)-TPD),and temperature-programmed desorption of NH_(3)(NH_(3)-TPD).The catalytic activity of each catalyst was estimated for the catalytic combustion of vinyl chloride(VC) emissions.The crystallite size of the Co_(3) O_(4) catalyst was found to be well correlated with the amounts of surface-adsorbed oxygen species and number of acid sites on the catalyst surface,and consequently,determined several physicochemical properties of the catalyst.Of the catalysts studied here,the Co-AP catalyst exhibits the smallest crystallite size,which increases the specific surface area and the concentration of Co^(2+) on the catalyst surface.This,in turn,enhances the redox property,oxygen mobility,and the number of acid sites associated with the Co-AP catalyst.In fact,the Co-AP catalyst exhibits the best catalytic activity for VC combustion at 360℃and does not produce any chlorinated by-products.