Oxychlorination Redispersion of Pt Catalysts: Surface Species and Pt-support Interactions Characterized by X-Ray Absorption and FT-IR Spectroscopy

To help elucidate the oxychlorination redispersion reaction mechanism, the surface species formed on the surface of γ-Al2O3 was characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The efficacy of redispersion was assessed by the Pt–Pt coordination number (CNPt–Pt) of redispersed, and then reduced samples. A nearly fully redispersed complex (Ptrd52) was prepared by treating a sintered model Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst at 520 °C, Air/EDC (ethylene dichloride) of 30, and WHSV (Weight Hourly Space Velocity) of 0.07 h−1 for 16 h. For investigating temperature effects, samples treated at 460 (Ptrd46) and 560 °C (Ptrd56) were also prepared for comparison. It was found that, while an octahedral resembling Pt(Os)3–4(O–Cl)2–3 (Os represents support oxygen or hydroxyl oxygen) complex was formed on γ-Al2O3 of Ptrd52, less O–Cl ligands were formed on the redispersed complexes, Ptrd46 and Ptrd56. A negative correlation of CNPt–Pt with CNPt–Cl* (Cl* represents the Cl atom in O–Cl ligand) for these three samples further suggested that the formation of Pt–O–Cl played a key role in the redispersion process. Pt–O–Cl could be formed in the reaction of reactive Cl⋅ and PtO2. At an operation temperature of lower-than-optimal temperatures of 520 °C, less Cl2 dissociation and less O–Cl ligands were formed. On the other hand, higher temperatures may facilitate Cl2 dissociation, but reduce the equilibrium conversion of HCl to Cl2, leading to increased HCl reaction with Pt (PtO2) clusters to form Pt–Cl (Cl is the atom bonded directly to Pt), and decreased formation of Pt–O–Cl.