title: Shape-dependent plasma-catalytic activity of ZnO nanomaterials coated on porous ceramic membrane for oxidation of butane.
abstract: In order to explore the effects of the shape of ZnO nanomaterials on the plasma-catalytic decomposition of butane and the distribution of byproducts, three types of ZnO nanomaterials (nanoparticles (NPs), nanorods (NRs) and nanowires (NWs)) were prepared and coated on multi-channel porous alumina ceramic membrane. The structures and morphologies of the nanomaterials were confirmed by X-ray diffraction method and scanning electron microscopy. The observed catalytic activity of ZnO in the oxidative decomposition of butane was strongly shape-dependent. It was found that the ZnO NWs exhibited higher catalytic activity than the other nanomaterials and could completely oxidize butane into carbon oxides (COx). When using the bare or ZnO NPs-coated ceramic membrane, several unwanted partial oxidation and decomposition products like acetaldehyde, acetylene, methane and propane were identified during the decomposition of butane. When the ZnO NWs- or ZnO NRs-coated membrane was used, however, the formation of such unwanted byproducts except methane was completely avoided, and full conversion into COx was achieved. Better carbon balance and COx selectivity were obtained with the ZnO NWs and NRs than with the NPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering & Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208-016, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanjeeva Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju 690-756, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: smokie@jejunu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Young Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Mok
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D002073:Butanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002073:Butanes; D058626:Plasma Gases; C046888:butane; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Butane; Decomposition; Non-thermal plasma; Shape effect; ZnO nanomaterials