CO oxidation activity of bimetallic Co x /Mn 0.5−x /HAp catalysts.
The CO oxidation activity and activation energy of bimetallic Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp are shown in Fig. 1 and Table 1. The Co/HAp showed light-off temperature (Tlight−off), 50% CO (T50) and 100% CO (T100) conversion at 60, 117 and 160 ºC respectively. However, bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp catalyst showed Tlight−off, T50, T100 at 40, 102 and 150 ºC respectively. The increasing loading of Co (0.1 to 0.4) in bimetallic Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp catalyst showed decrease in T50. The Mn/HAp catalyst exhibited CO oxidation at higher temperature compared to all catalyst. However, Mn5Co1Ox prepared by coprecipitation showed 100% CO conversion at 250 ºC [Bulavchenko et al. 2020]. The Cu supported on Co substituted HAp exhibited Tlight−off, T50, T100 at 73, 130 and 157 oC respectively [More et al. 2019].
In present study, bimetallic Cox/Mn1 − x/HAp showed 100% CO conversion at 170 ºC. The Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed T50 and T100 at lower temperature and lowest activation energy (31.3 kJ.mol− 1) compared to all catalyst.
Table 1
Observations of bimetallic Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp series for TLight−off, T50, T100 and activation energy (Ea)
Catalyst
|
%CO conversion temperature (oC)
|
Ea (kJ.mol− 1)
|
TLight−off
|
T50
|
T100
|
Mn/HAp
|
100
|
190
|
250
|
64.0
|
Co/HAp
|
60
|
117
|
160
|
40.5
|
Co0.1/Mn0.4/HAp
|
60
|
125
|
170
|
53.1
|
Co0.2/Mn0.3/HAp
|
40
|
121
|
170
|
39.3
|
Co0.3/Mn0.2/HAP
|
40
|
113
|
160
|
37.3
|
Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp
|
40
|
102
|
150
|
31.3
|
The stability test was performed under stationary condition at 400 oC to evaluate the long-term stability and reproducibility of the designed catalyst. The Co/HAp and Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed 100% CO conversion at 400 oC and stable activity was observed for 1080 min. These results suggest that the active sites are stable at high temperature (Fig. S2).
Characterizations of the bimetallic Co and Mn supported on HAp catalysts.
Powder X-ray diffraction and surface area study of Co x /Mn 0.5−x /HAp.
The XRD patterns of Mn promoted Co/HAp catalysts prepared by successive deposition method are shown in Fig. 1. The PXRD patterns exhibited the diffraction peaks centred at 2θ = 22.7, 25.82, 28.8, 31.98, 33.97, 39.66, 43.88, 46.74, 48.02, 49.54, 53.16, 60.08, 61.78, and 64.06⁰, which is characteristic of well- defined crystalline phase of hexagonal with space group P63/m of pure HAp (JCPDS 09-0432).
The diffraction peak appearing at 2θ = 31.86, 37.58, 44.73, 59.31 and 64.7⁰ was assigned to the cubic spinel structure of cobalt oxide Co3O4 (JCPDS-9-418). Whereas, 2θ = 28.95, 32.4, 36.25, 38.27, 44.43, 49.10, 50.9, 58.21, 60.08⁰ were due to Mn3O4 phases (JCPDS- 24–0734). Th standard sample of cobalt oxide and manganese oxide were prepared as per mentioned synthesis procedure which showed CoO (JCPDS-43-1004), Co3O4 (JCPDS-9-418) and Mn3O4 phases (JCPDS- 24–0734). The predominant separate phase of CoO peaks was observed at 36.6ᵒ [Prieto et al. 2019] in Co/HAp and Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp. The weak intensity of the CoO peak indicates the formation of low crystalline phases. Furthermore, Mn3+ is active site for CO oxidation [Lavande et al. 2020]. The MnOx prepared by same methods shows formation of Mn3O4 species. These results indicate that the addition of Co leads to the formation of Mn3O4 which is the active phase for CO oxidation. In Co/HAp and Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp formation of CoO was observed. The Co-O bond weakest bond among transition metal and active for CO oxidation.
The Table 2 shows the surface area of bimetallic Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp catalyst. Mn/Hap and Co/Hap showed comparable surface area. Whereas, surface area decreases with increase in Co concentration. Cox/Mn0.5−x/HAp catalyst showed optimum surface area (42.7 m2/g).
Table 2
Surface area of all catalysts
Catalyst
|
Surface area (m2/g)
|
HAp
|
28.8
|
Mn/HAp
|
56.5
|
Co/HAp
|
54.6
|
Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp
|
42.7
|
Co0.3/Mn0.2/HAp
|
47.5
|
Co0.2/Mn0.3/HAp
|
47.9
|
Co0.1/Mn0.4/HAp
|
52.5
|
Reduction temperature comparisons of Co 0.4 /Mn 0.1 /HAp with Co/HAp and Mn/HAp (H 2 -TPR)
The H2-TPR study of Co0.4/Mn0.1/Hap, Co/HAp and Mn/HAp is shown in Fig. 3. The TPR profile of Mn/HAp includes small shoulder and strong reduction peaks at 325 and 363 oC respectively. These peaks are ascribed to the reduction of Co3+ and Mn3+ in tetrahedral site of Mn3O4. The hump of peak greater than 390 oC could be due to the merging of reduction peaks of CoO to Co and Mn3O4 to MnO [Jampaiah et al. 2019; Si et al. 2020; Mojtaba et al. 2021]. The Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp catalyst showed shoulder and peaks with hump at 280, 334 and 520°C respectively. These peaks are consonant with the reduction of Mn3+, Co3O4, CoO and Mn3O4. The bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed TPR peaks at lower temperature compared to the monometallic Mn/HAp and Co/HAp catalyst. The decrease in reduction temperature indicates that the improvement in redox properties of Mn/HAp after Co addition. The interaction between Co and Mn increases the mobility of oxygen in spinel Co3O4 and could weakened the Co-O bond. The Mn and Co interactions could facilitate the Mn3+↔Mn2+ and Co3+↔ Co2+ redox cycle, and responsible for the low temperature CO oxidation.
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (Xps) Study
The XPS spectra of the bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp, monometallic Co/HAp, and Mn/HAp are shown in Fig. 4. Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp exhibits the two deconvoluted peaks for Mn 2p at 641.9, 644.6 and 652.5, 654.9 eV. These peaks are attributed to Mn2+ and Mn3+ states of Mn3O4 respectively. The XPS peaks at 646.0 eV and 657.2 eV were assigned to satellite peak [Jampaiah et al. 2019]. The Co 2p XPS peaks were observed at 779.8, 781.5 and 795.1, 796.9 eV and corresponds to the Co3+ and Co2+ species. The Co XPS also consist of two small shake up satellite peaks at 801.68 and 785.1 eV which indicates presence of Co2+ species [Wang et al. 2020]. Similarly, the BE peaks correspond to Mn/Hap and Co/HAp enlisted in Table 3. The bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp exhibited lower binding energy for Mn and Co compared to the monometallic Mn/HAp and Co/HAp. The lower binding energy indicate the weakening of metal-oxygen bond.
The O 1s spectra of the bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp, monometallic Co/HAp, and Mn/HAp are shown in Fig. 4c. The BE of the lattice (OL), adsorbed (Oa), and surface (Os) oxygen observed in the range of 528.9-529.9, 530.5-531.5 and 532.0-532.6 eV respectively [Jampaiah et al. 2019; Waikar et al. 2021]. The concentrations of Mn, Co and O were calculated from peak area and shown in Table 3. The Oa concentration observed higher in bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp catalyst compared to the monometallic catalyst. However, the Oa concentration increases due to the addition of Co in Mn/HAp. The adsorbed (Oa) was active for oxidation of the CO at lower temperature. Furthermore, the Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed higher concentration of Co2+ and Mn3+ species on the surface compared to the Mn/HAp and Co/HAp. These results indicate that the increase in the formation of CoO in bimetallic catalyst which could be due to the synergetic interaction between Mn and Co. The bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed higher concentration of Mn3+, Oa and Co2+ species on surface compared to the monometallic Co/HAp and Mn/HAp. The XPS results are commensurate with XRD.
Table 3
Surface analysis of Mn/HAp, Co/HAp and Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp using XPS
Catalyst
|
Binding energy (eV)
|
Mn2+
|
Mn3+
|
Mn4+
|
Co2+
|
Co3+
|
Os
|
OL
|
Oa
|
Mn/HAP
|
642.2
|
644.4
|
646.1
|
-
|
-
|
532.2
|
530.8
|
529.5
|
Co/HAp
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
781.5
|
779.8
|
532.5
|
531.2
|
529.5
|
Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp
|
641.9
|
644
|
646
|
780.6
|
778.8
|
532.1
|
530.2
|
528.9
|
Catalyst
|
Relative area ratio
|
Mn2+/Mn3+/Mn4+ (%)
|
Co2+/(Co2++Co3+)
|
Os/OL/Oa (%)
|
Mn/HAP
|
45.9/33.7/20.5
|
-
|
11.96/44.77/43.26
|
Co/HAp
|
-
|
0.388
|
36.26/19.45/44.28
|
Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp
|
23.5/46.2/30.3
|
0.488
|
16.50/28.89/54.59
|
Correlation Of Characterizations With Activity
The detailed characterization of Mn/HAp, Co/HAp and Co0.4/Mn0.1/Hap has been performed to elucidate the CO oxidation activity. The XRD results showed formation of amorphous/low crystalline Mn3O4 and CoO species in Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp catalyst. The results are in line with XPS result, which showed the satellite peak of CoO phase. The increase in concentration of CoO, Mn3+ and Oa was observed in Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp compared to the Mn/HAp and Co/HAp. CoO with adsorbed oxygen regulate the adsorption/conversion of CO and recycle the active site [Wang et al. 2021]. More labile oxygen (Oa) observed on catalyst surface after addition of Co in Mn/HAp. The interaction between CoO and Co3O4 and Mn3O4 in Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp responsible for the formation of more labile adsorbed oxygen (Oa) which is active for low temperature CO oxidation. The presence of Co3O4 and CoO reduces the electron cloud of oxygen and weakens the strength of Co-O bond [Liu et al. 2021]. The hydrocarbon activation takes place through -CH bond adsorption on Mn/HAp [More et al. 2020]. Furthermore, the bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp showed TPR peaks at lower temperature compared to the monometallic Mn/HAp and Co/HAp. The low temperature reduction indicates the improvement in redox cycle of the Mn and Co of bimetallic catalyst. The redox couples of Co2+/Co3+ and Mn2+/Mn3+ were facilitate the adsorption of CO and oxygen. The bimetallic Co0.4/Mn0.1/HAp catalyst showed lower activation energy compared to the Co/HAp and Mn/HAp. The formation of Co2+, Co3+ and Mn3+ active species synergistically decreases activation energy for CO and oxygen which leads to the oxidation of CO at lower temperature.