Hydrogen Co-Combustion of Aromatic Volatile Organic Compounds over Pd/Al2O3 Catalyst

Catalytic combustion is an effective strategy for alleviating volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds, mostly derived from the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. We employed Pd/Al2O3 as a catalyst for combusting aromatic VOCs via hydrogen catalytic combustion. It differs from conventional approaches that do not necessitate additional electric heating. Briefly, when hydrogen (H2) is introduced below its lower explosive limit of 4% on the Pd/Al2O3 catalyst, it completely oxidizes important aromatic VOCs like benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene to carbon dioxide and water. The catalytic performance of the integrated system remains stable even after long-term use. Therefore, hydrogen co-combustion on the Pd/Al2O3 catalyst can provide onsite heating for a facility without needing external electric heat. The catalytic performance shows no significant dependence on the sizes of Pd nanoparticles in both fresh and spent conditions, as demonstrated by XRD, XPS, and STEM analyses. Therefore, renewable green hydrogen can effectively reduce aromatic VOC pollutants, providing a more energy-efficient alternative. Our findings suggest that this integrated process is promising for converting aromatic VOCs into carbon dioxide and water without electric heating.