Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Committee Chair

Edwin L. Kugler.

Abstract

The formation of Mo2C and MoC supported on activated carbon was investigated in three different flowing reaction gas environments: H2, He, and CO. Additionally, benzene hydrogenation activity was studied for the catalysts reduced in each of these three different gas environments.;It was found through in-situ x-ray diffraction (XRD) that reducing in H2, ammonium heptamolybdate impregnated on activated carbon yielded 1-3 nm Mo2C particles. When the same material was calcinced in inert, 9 nm Mo2C particles were formed. If the reduction gas were CO, MoC particles having size less than 3 nm were formed. In all three reduction environments, the in-situ XRD revealed that MoO2 reduced to molybdenum carbide, without the appearance of Mo0. Data from temperature programmed reaction (TPR) spectra compared to the in-situ XRD patterns indicates that the carbon support is the source for carburization.;Only the catalyst reduced in H2 has significant activity for benzene hydrogenation. Furthermore, these Mo2C-on-carbon catalysts have only a small range of reduction temperatures, 675-825°C, for which they are active. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

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