Hydrothermal gasification of phenol with Ru added carbon-metal oxide composite-supported Ni catalysts prepared by sol-gel method

Ru promotion effect on carbon-metal oxide composite-supported Ni catalysts were tested for hydrothermal gasification of phenol in aqueous phase as a model process of wastewater treatment. The catalysts were prepared by the combination of aluminum, titanium and zirconium alkoxide, and polyethylene glycol as an organic template, with the addition of active metals, nickel nitrate hexahydrate and ruthenium chloride. In the hydrothermal gasification at 350 °C, pressure 20 MPa and phenol concentration in water 20 g/L, the effect of the addition of Ru to Ni/C/oxide was observed and the conversion of phenol increased. When the effect of metal oxide was compared at 5 wt% of Ru and 16 wt% of Ni contents, the conversion of phenol increased in the order ZrO2 < Al2O3 < TiO2. The activity of Al2O3 -supported catalysts increased with increasing Ru content while that of TiO2 -supported catalysts did not change with the Ru content.