• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.468-475
• /
• 2015

Various methods to degrade explosives efficiently in natural soil and water that include trinitrotoluene (TNT) have been studied. In this study, TNT in water was degraded by reduction with palladium (Pd) catalyst impregnated onto alumina (henceforth Pd-Al catalyst) and formic acid. The degradation of TNT was faster when the temperature of water was high, and the initial TNT concentration, pH, and ion concentration in water were low. The amounts of Pd-Al catalyst and formic acid were also important for TNT degradation in water. According to the experimental results, the degradation constant of TNT with unit mass of Pd-Al catalyst was $8.37min^{-1}g^{-1}$. The degradation constant of TNT was higher than the results of previous studies which used zero valent iron. 2,6-diamino-4-nitrotoluene and 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene were detected as by-products of TNT degradation showing that TNT was reduced. The by-products of TNT were also completely degraded after reaction when both Pd-Al catalyst and formic acid existed. Even though there are several challenges of Pd-Al catalyst (e.g., deactivation, poisoning, leaching, etc.), the results of this study show that TNT degradation by Pd-Al catalyst and formic acid is a promising technique to remediate explosive contaminated water and soil.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.697-701
• /
• 2010

We investigate the cell performance and characteristics of a direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) using palladium (Pd) as a catalyst for anode. Pd is deposited on the electrolyte using the "direct paint" method. From a continuous three time-test of the polarization curve of the DFAFC, it is found that the catalytic activity of Pd and the cell performance of DFAFC steadily degrade as the tests are proceeded. This behavior may be due to the deactivation of Pd by formate (COOH) and hydroxyl (OH) groups, which are electrochemically dissociated from formic acid solution. Estimations of the degradation, followed by reactivation in activity of Pd catalyst and DFAFC cell performance are implemented by linear voltage sweep tests going in both positive and negative directions. When the maximum voltage of 1.0 V versus DHE is applied to the cell while a linear voltage sweep test going in negative directions, the activity of Pd catalyst and the DFAFC cell performance recover by the rehabilitation in activity of the deactivated Pd.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.806-812
• /
• 2008

The ammonia decomposition reaction has been of increasing interest as a means of treating ammonia in flue gas in the presence of precious metal catalyst. Various catalysts, $Pt-Rh/Al_2O_3$, $Pt-Rh/TiO_2$, $Pt-Rh/ZrO_2$, $Pt-Pd/Al_2O_3$, $Pd-Rh/Al_2O_3$, $Pd-Rh/TiO_2$, $Pd-Rh/ZrO_2$, $Pt-Pd-Rh/Al_2O_3$, $Pd/Ga-Al_2O_3$, $Rh/Ga-Al_2O_3$, and Ru/Ga-$Al_2O_3$, were synthesized by using excess wet impregnation method. Using a homemade 1/4" reactor at $10,000{\sim}50,000hr^{-1}$ of space velocity in the presence of precious metal catalyst ammonia decomposition reactions were carried out to investigate the catalyst activity. The inlet ammonia concentration was maintained at 2,000 ppm, with an air balance. Both $T_{50}$ and $T_{90}$, defined as the temperatures where 50% and 90% of ammonia, respectively, are converted, decreased significantly when alumina-supported catalysts were applied. In terms of catalytic performance on the ammonia conversion in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, $Pt-Rh/Al_2O_3$ catalyst showed no effect on the poisoning caused by hydrogen sulfide. These results indicate that platinum-rhodium bimetallic catalyst is a useful catalyst for ammonia decomposition.