CeO2 catalysts have long been utilised as materials within automotive Three-Way Catalysts (TWCs), and more recently within CO2 methanation where the loading of a metal onto a ceria-supported catalyst can have a significant impact on the petrochemical industry. This report aims to document the experimental process behind the conducted research into how the behaviour of Ru/CeO2 catalysts, is affected by the different loading quantities of ruthenium metal onto cerium oxide (CeO2) supported catalysts, as well as how differing preparation methods can also have an effect. Nine products were synthesised from two different loading quantities through the three preparation methods of Deposition-precipitation, Ion Exchange, and Wet Impregnation. The efficacy of the synthesised catalytic materials was each tested through selective oxidation reactions of benzyl alcohol, to which the product was then characterised through Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis techniques. Through the data obtained, it was concluded that each catalytic material produced were unsuccessfully characterised as the GC-MS graphs produced displays evidence the data cannot effectively determine whether the aims and objectives of this project are met. Comparisons of GC graphs show fluctuations in the relative intensities of the peaks corresponding to benzyl alcohol with most showing reductions, suggesting that those that diminished show the concentrations of benzyl alcohol also reduced and perhaps produced oxidation products as a result, with these products being unidentifiable. This suggests the variation in benzyl alcohol concentration may have occurred during the GC-MS sample preparations and it cannot be confirmed that the oxidation reaction of benzyl alcohol even occurred. Therefore, with reference to the aims and objectives of this project, it can be deemed that a relationship between the effects of the differing synthetic techniques and metal loading quantities on catalytic properties cannot be established.
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