NSF Award
9760204
*** 970204 Atwater This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes development of a high-temperature fluidized bed reactor (HTFBR) based process for the production of a homogeneous and integral high surface area silicon carbide (SiC) coating on activated carbon. The primary application of this new material will be as a catalyst support for use in gas phase and aqueous phase heterogeneous catalytic processes for the deep oxidation (mineralization) of organic environmental contaminants. For destruction of airborne or waterborne contaminants, current catalyst supports such as silica, alumina, titania, zirconia and ceramic monoliths yield catalysts with relatively low activities due to inadequate surface areas for deposition of catalytic nuclei. High surface area activated carbon supported catalysts have been prepared with extremely high levels of activity but unacceptably short useful lives resulting from degradation. In contrast, silicon carbide is a material with excellent chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability characteristics. It is anticipated that a catalyst support combining the desirable features of high surface area, mechanical stability, and resistance to chemical attack will result from the formation of a thin SiC coating over an activated carbon surface. The primary commercial opportunity will be the manufacture and sale of supports suitable for oxidation catalysts needed for environmental remediation applications. However, carbon supported catalysts are used extensively in petroleum refining and chemical processing industries. It is anticipated that many new applications for the novel catalyst support will arise, because of its excellent qualities of hardness, strength, high surface area, and superior chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability. ***
