Rh/GNF catalysts: Characterization and catalytic performance in methylcyclopentane reactions

Rh catalysts supported on two graphite nanofiber structures (herring-bone – GNF-H and platelet – GNF-P) have been synthesized and characterized by XPS and HRTEM. Rh was partly oxidized after storage in air but reduced to Rh by H2 treatments at 473 K. The graphitic character of GNF-P was closer to that of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite than that of GNF-H. H2 treatment hardly affected the properties of the graphite component. HRTEM shows the appropriate graphite structures and Rh crystallites, mainly on the surface of GNF. The catalytic properties in ring opening of methylcyclopentane (MCP) were close to each other, Rh/GNF-P with more ordered graphite structure favoring “ring opening” to C6 alkanes. The ring opening reaction was “selective”, producing more methylpentanes than hexane. This selectivity increased at higher H2 pressures. As reported earlier, 2-methylpentane was the main source of