Effects of dealumination on the methane-combustion activity of Pd/ SSZ-13 catalysts

This study investigated the effects of dealumination on Pd/SSZ-13 catalysts for methane combustion. Pd(1)/SSZ13 (HTA), prepared by treating the catalyst hydrothermally at 750 degrees C, displayed extremely low catalytic activity. In contrast, Pd(1)/SSZ-13 (DeAl), prepared by treating the SSZ-13 support hydrothermally followed by Pd impregnation, exhibited superior catalytic activity for methane oxidation. Catalytic properties, including zeolite hydrophobicity and Pd location and states, were investigated by using various characterization techniques to clarify the differences between the catalysts. Most Pd species in the Pd/SSZ-13 (HTA) catalyst existed as Pd ions, which were not very active for the reaction. On the contrary, most Pd species in the Pd(1)/SSZ-13 (DeAl) catalyst existed as PdO nanoparticles at the external surface, which were highly active for methane oxidation. The study results suggested that the amount of external PdO nanoparticles should be maximized in order to make Pd/SSZ13 catalyst highly active for methane combustion, which was achieved by dealuminating the SSZ-13 support before Pd impregnation.