Materials for high-temperature catalytic combustion

Catalytic combustion systems for gas turbines must operate at temperatures of at least 1200{degrees}C. Support structure material must retain its integrity under prolonged exposure to high temperature, thermal cycling, and severe chemical conditions; and the material must be capable of being formed into thin sections. The performance requirements of a high-temperature stable ceramic support must be balanced with reasonable costs of preparation. An increasing number of materials have potential for successful exposure to high-temperature conditions. Two major problems of high-temperature catalyst systems are loss of surface area and catalytic activity. Incorporation of the catalytic component into the host lattice can circumvent this problem. Use of supporting active metal oxides on carrier materials with high thermal resistance appears to be a very promising way to make stable catalysts. The challenge will be to provide sufficient low-temperature activity and high-temperature stability; therefore, there exists a need to engineer catalytic materials for high-temperature combustion environments. Developments in catalytic materials and preparation procedures are reviewed. Future areas of research are discussed.