High catalytic activity and SO2-poisoning resistance of Pd/CuCl2/γ-Al2O3 catalyst for elemental mercury oxidation.

A Pd/CuCl 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst of high activity (up to 87%) and of sulfur-poisoning resistance to SO 2 as high as 10,000 ppm was designed for the selective catalytic oxidation of Hg 0 for the first time. It was found that Pd and CuCl 2 function as active sites of Hg 0 adsorption and HCl activation, respectively. The combination of these two phases could improve the regeneration and migration of active chlorine, hinder the simultaneously competitive adsorption of Hg 0 and SO 2 on the active sites of CuCl 2 and reduce the production and accumulation of sulfates, such as CuSO 4 . These mechanisms contributed to the outstanding catalytic performance of Pd/CuCl 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]