Copper-doped ceria catalytic activity for soot oxidation process

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Katalitička aktivnost cerija dopiranog bakrom za proces oksidacije čađe
• Author: Fadzai Praise Musakana
• Mentor: Stanislav Kurajica (mentor)
• Committee member: Stanislav Kurajica (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Marin Kovačić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Juraj Šipušić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology; Zagreb
• Granter: University of Split; Faculty of Chemistry and Technology; Split
• Defense date and country: 2022-09-20, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Chemical Engineering

Abstract

Diesel engines in the automotive industry have optimal fuel efficiency, high durability, and low carbon dioxide emissions but carbonaceous soot formed during the combustion process is a major health and environmental concern. Catalytic converters are introduced to address this environmental issue. Catalytic soot oxidation is a method of reducing the emission of soot particles. Soot oxidation can be accomplished with a range of different catalysts. Most catalytic converters use mixed-metal oxides combined with noble metals as catalysts, which are extremely expensive. This study's main objective is to demonstrate that an alternative catalyst involving ceria oxide doped with a transition metal, in this case, copper, could achieve admissible results, reduce carbon footprint, and be a more cost-effective and sustainable substitute. The cerium oxide powders were obtained using combustion synthesis. Various cerium oxide catalyst samples were prepared, and their catalytic performance was evaluated. The materials' physicochemical properties were validated using XRD, SEM, FTIR, and TGA/DTG techniques. Cu-doped ceria nanocatalysts had smaller crystallite sizes and increased carbon oxidation activity. This study demonstrated how the use of copper doped ceria has the potential to effectively reduce harmful emissions less expensively and more sustainably.

Abstract (croatian)

Dizelski motori u automobilskoj industriji imaju optimalnu učinkovitost goriva, visoku trajnost i niske emisije ugljičnog dioksida, ali ugljična čađa nastala tijekom procesa izgaranja predstavlja veliki zdravstveni i ekološki problem. Za rješavanje tog problema zaštite okoliša uvode se katalizatori. Katalitička oksidacija čađe je metoda smanjenja emisije čestica čađe. Oksidacija čađe može se postići nizom različitih katalizatora. Većina katalizatora koristi mješovite metalne okside u kombinaciji s plemenitim metalima, koji su iznimno skupi. Glavni cilj ovog rada je pokazati da bi alternativni katalizator koji uključuje cerijev oksid dopiran prijelaznim metalom, u ovom slučaju bakrom, mogao postići prihvatljive rezultate, smanjiti ugljični otisak i biti isplativija i održivija zamjena. Prašci cerijevog oksida dobiveni su sintezom izgaranjem. Pripremljeni su različiti uzorci katalizatora cerijevog oksida i ocijenjena je njihova katalitička učinkovitost. Fizikalno-kemijska svojstva materijala potvrđena su korištenjem XRD, SEM, FTIR i TGA/DTG tehnika. Cerijevi nanokatalizatori dopirani bakrom imali su manje veličine kristala i povećanu aktivnost oksidacije ugljika. Ovaj rad je pokazo kako uporaba cerija dopiranog bakrom ima potencijal za učinkovito smanjenje štetnih emisija na jeftiniji i održiviji način.

• Keywords: copper doped ceria; catalyst; catalytic soot oxidation; nanocatalyst
• Keywords (croatian): cerij dopiran bakrom; katalizator; katalitička oksidacija čađe; nanokatalizator
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:149:102746
• Project: Number: IP-2018-01-2963; Title: Hidrotermalna sinteza dopiranog cerij oksidnog nanokatalizatora; Acronym: HOuDiNI; Leader: Stanislav Kurajica; Jurisdiction: Croatia; Funder: HRZZ; Funding stream: IP
• Study programme: Title: Chemical and environmental technology - graduate - university; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra inženjer/inženjerka kemijskog inženjerstva (magistar/magistra inženjer/inženjerka kemijskog inženjerstva)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-04-05 09:28:32