HEXAALUMINATE CATALYSTS FOR THE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMBUSTION OF METHANOL

The overall efficiency of Thermophotovoltaics (TPV) for electricity/heat/cold co-generation would significantly benefit from the development of high temperature radiation emitters heated up by an integrated catalytic burner fuelled with methanol. Specific combustion catalysts are required with good intrinsic oxidation activity and outstanding thermal stability. To this aim, a series of La, Mn based hexaaluminates were prepared either by the Solution Combustion Synthesis with Urea or by the Carbonates Coprecipitation route and tested for the catalytic combustion of methanol-air mixtures. All of the materials were characterized by XRD, BET, H 2 -TPR and compared in terms of their intrinsic catalytic activity and selectivity for the total oxidation of methanol, and stability of their catalytic performance was checked after calcination at temperatures as high as 1300°C.