Effect of tourmaline additive on the crystal growth and activity of LaCoO3 for catalytic combustion of methane

Abstract LaCoO 3 /tourmaline was prepared as catalysts on the methane catalytic combustion. As additive tourmaline, its effect on crystal growth and catalytic activity of LaCoO 3 , were investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H 2 -temperature programmed reduction (H 2 -TPR) and catalyst evaluation techniques. SEM and TEM indicated that the spontaneous polarizability of tourmaline made LaCoO 3 particles grow dispersedly on tourmaline, alleviated the agglomeration and exposed more reactive sites. It was a main influence leading to the improvement of catalysts activity, exposed via catalyst evaluation device. Among the different additive proportion of compound samples, the 2% tourmaline added LaCoO 3 showed an obvious enhancement activity compared to non-tourmaline sample—the light-off temperature was 454 °C and CH 4 reached the full conversion at 563 °C.