Effects of ZrO2-doping of a CuO/MgO system on its surface and catalytic properties

The effects of doping of CuO/MgO system with ZrO2 (3–10 wt.%) on its surface and catalytic properties were investigated. Pure and differently doped solids were subjected to heat treatment at 400 and 700 °C. The formula of the undoped calcined solids was 0.2 CuO/MgO. The results revealed that ZrO2-doping increased the degree of dispersion for CuO phase. The specific surface area of the system investigated decreased to an extent proportional to the amount of zirconia added. The catalytic activity in H2O2 decomposition of the investigated solids increased by increasing the amount of ZrO2 added. The maximum increase in the catalytic activity expressed as the reaction rate constant per unit surface area k− was calculated for the reaction conducted at 20 °C (k20 °C−)due to doping with 10 wt.% ZrO2 followed by calcination at 400 and 700 °C are 703 and 617%, respectively. The doping process did not modify the activation energy of the catalyzed reaction but rather increased the concentration of the active sites without changing their energetic nature.