The present proposal describes a novel way of utilising the internal electrical resistance in carbon composite materials to activate catalyst materials for chemical reactions: A compact, internally heated, catalytic reactor is demonstrated for the low-tem perature oxidation of carbon monoxide. Carbon nanofibres were grown on carbon felt and used as a support material for Au/TiO2 catalysts. The carbon composite plays two roles; as a support material for the catalyst and for providing heat to the reaction by the Joule effect. The internal heating offers a stable reactor system with quick temperature response at relatively low energy input. Comparison between external and internal heating shows higher conversion of CO in the low-temperature range when using i nternal heating.
The project seeks to prepare and compare two kinds of microstructured reactors for small-scale preferential oxidation of CO:
1. Carbon nanofibres grown on carbon felt and used as a support material for Au-Pt/TiO2 catalysts with internal heating
2. Carbon nanofibres grown inside ceramic monoliths to increase the surface area. Also in this case the Au-Pt/TiO2 catalysts will be deposited on to the carbon nanofibres.