Total oxidation of naphthalene using copper manganese oxide catalysts

•Copper manganese oxides are active for total catalytic oxidation of naphthalene.•A disordered CuMn2O4 phase is the most active and selective to CO2.•More highly crystalline CuMn2O4 phases are less active and also form partial oxidation products.

A series of copper manganese oxide catalysts have been investigated for the total oxidation of naphthalene, selected as a model compound for oxidation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation and were calcined at 300, 400, 500 and 600 °C. The catalyst most active and selective towards CO2 was calcined at 400 °C, and this was related to the formation of a high surface area poorly crystalline CuMn2O4 phase. Catalysts calcined at 500 and 600 °C were less effective in oxidising naphthalene to CO2, and their composition of more highly crystalline CuMn2O4, with Mn2O3 for the 600 °C catalyst, formed partial oxidation products. There was also a direct relationship between the extent of reduction from temperature programmed reduction and catalyst performance.

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