Total oxidation of toluene over calcined trimetallic hydrotalcites type catalysts.

Two trimetallic ZnCuAl and MnCuAl hydrotalcites have been successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The manganese based material was identified as a new hydrotalcite phase. Both lamellar precursors were calcined at 450 and 600 degrees C and the resulting catalysts were tested on reaction of total oxidation of toluene. The solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, N(2) adsorption and H(2) temperature-programmed reduction. It was found that ZnCuAl materials are composed of copper and zinc oxides supported on alumina; while MnCuAl ones comprise basically spinel phases, which were not completely identified. The catalytic behavior of the calcined samples showed that Mn hydrotalcite calcined at 450 degrees C exhibited the best catalytic performance that corresponds to 100% toluene conversion into CO(2) at about 300 degrees C.