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Papers by luciana lisi

Catalysts

The catalytic methanation of CO2 via the strongly exothermic equilibrium Sabatier reaction requir... more The catalytic methanation of CO2 via the strongly exothermic equilibrium Sabatier reaction requires the development of structured catalysts with enhanced mass- and heat-transfer features to limit hot-spot formation, avoid catalyst deactivation, and control process selectivity. In this work, we investigated the use of polymer-derived SiC open-cell foams as structured carriers onto which γ-Al2O3 was applied by either dip-coating or pore-filling methods; eventually, Ru was dispersed by impregnation. The formation of an undesired insulating SiO2 layer on the surface of the SiC struts was prevented by a pyrolysis treatment under an inert atmosphere at temperatures varying from 800 up to 1800 °C. SiC foam substrates and their corresponding structured catalysts were characterized by SEM, XRD, N2 physisorption, and compressive strength measurements, and their CO2 methanation activity was tested at atmospheric pressure in a fixed bed flow reactor operated in the temperature range from 200 to...

In this work a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the dynamic interaction between NO a... more In this work a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the dynamic interaction between NO and Cu-ZSM-5 and the consequent formation of reaction intermediates in a range of temperature lower than the threshold of any steady-state reaction has been reported. The adsorption tests, followed by a TPD analysis, have been carried out by continuous monitoring the gaseous effluents starting from different initial oxidation state of copper, at different temperature of adsorption (25-225°C) and NO concentration (800-5000ppm), at variable exposure times in the presence and in the absence of O2. In situ FTIR experiments have also be performed under similar conditions. On the basis of the results obtained under the different experimental conditions a quantitative analysis of nitrogen containing species and their evolutions with time on stream and a mechanism of N2, N2O and nitrate formation, have been proposed. Moreover, the adsorption properties of Cu-ZSM-5 towards nitrogen oxides have bee...

Catalysts, 2019

Catalyst life-time represents one of the most crucial economic aspects in most industrial catalyt... more Catalyst life-time represents one of the most crucial economic aspects in most industrial catalytic processes, due to costly shut-downs, catalyst replacements and proper disposal of spentmaterials[...]

Materials

An unexpected promoting effect of KBr, used as a diluting salt, on the degradation of picric acid... more An unexpected promoting effect of KBr, used as a diluting salt, on the degradation of picric acid (PA) was observed during in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy experiments performed here under accelerated ageing conditions—at 80 °C and under an inert or oxidative atmosphere. While the formation of potassium picrate was excluded, this promoting effect—which is undesired as it masks the possible effects of test conditions on the ageing process of the material—was assumed to favor a first step of the decomposition mechanism of PA, which involves the inter- or intramolecular transfer of hydrogen to the nitro group, and possibly proceeds up to the formation of an amino group. An alternative diluting salt, ZnSe, which is much less commonly used in infrared spectroscopy than KBr, was then proposed in order to avoid misleading interpretation of the results. ZnSe was found to act as a truly inert diluting salt, preventing the promoting effect of KBr. Th...

The performance of the platinum-cobalt catalysts in a carbon monoxide preferential oxidation (PRO... more The performance of the platinum-cobalt catalysts in a carbon monoxide preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor was investigated for polymer electrolyte fuel cell systems. First, the PROX reaction was analyzed based on two major reactions involved in it, i.e., oxidation of carbon monoxide and the H 2-O 2 reaction. Both reactions were affected by the other reaction depending on the reaction temperature regions, but the extent of the influence is not so large. The platinum-cobalt catalysts were found to exhibit high performance in PROX of carbon monoxide in rich hydrogen as a result of catalytic synergy effect between platinum and cobalt. In order to improve such synergy effect, the catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method and subsequent supercritical drying. The platinum-cobalt catalysts prepared by the single step sol-gel procedure exhibited higher activity for PROX than the catalysts prepared by the conventional impregnation. Supercritical drying preserved the active species of platinum-cobalt phase, therefore, the platinum-cobalt composite aerogel catalyst exhibited excellent ability for the carbon monoxide removal.

Advanced Science Letters, 2017

The catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane-hydrogen mixtures in air, intended for the first... more The catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane-hydrogen mixtures in air, intended for the first stage of hybrid radiant catalytic burners, was investigated under self-sustained short contact time conditions on commercial Ni foam catalysts eventually modified with Rh and Pt. The modified catalysts were prepared by a simple novel method based on the spontaneous deposition of noble metals via metal exchange reactions onto those Ni foam substrates. Modification with noble metals enhances stability and reducibility of the Ni foam whereas the overall CPO performance is not significantly improved. Safe operation of the CPO reactor with up to 70% vol. H 2 in the fuel mixture has been achieved by properly increasing the feed equivalence ratio to avoid catalyst overheating, while guaranteeing high methane conversions and a persistent net hydrogen production.

Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, 1997

Catalysts based on the Vanadia-Titania system are widely used for the abatement of pollutants, pa... more Catalysts based on the Vanadia-Titania system are widely used for the abatement of pollutants, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx), in the exhaust gases of industrial plants. Their mechanism of operation is based on the catalytic reduction reaction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia (SCR). In this paper, two commercial catalysts based on the V-W-Ti system of very similar nominal composition were compared. The two samples were analyzed in the fresh state and after a period of operation in a waste-gas plant of a waste-to-energy plant. The materials were first characterized from the chemicalstructural point of view through instrumental techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), SEM scanning electron microscopy observations with analysis EDS, measurement of pore size and specific surface area through nitrogen adsorption/ desorption and BET technique. Subsequently, the catalytic properties of the new and used catalysts in the NH3-SCR reaction were evaluated. The results of the analyzes showed that the samples are both made of a titanium matrix in the form of anatase, reinforced with glass fibers, used as a support for the active phases based on V and W. The percentages of vanadium are practically the same for both systems, while the tungsten percentage is very different. The specific surface also has very similar values for the two fresh catalysts. The tests of catalytic activity, on the other hand, have given very different results, particularly for one of the two catalysts, the performance decays much faster than the other. The kinetic measurements show that the decay is not due to a specific surface decrease, due to the presence of precipitates, but to a difference in initial activity between the two catalysts, linked to the different tungsten content.

Nanostructured Catalysts for Environmental Applications, 2021

Note: This paper is intended to be published in the 2015 fourth issue of Europhysics News as a "F... more Note: This paper is intended to be published in the 2015 fourth issue of Europhysics News as a "Feature Article".

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2018

The sequential electrodeposition of Pt nanoparticles and CeO 2 protective layers has been explore... more The sequential electrodeposition of Pt nanoparticles and CeO 2 protective layers has been explored as a simple method to prepare structured catalytic reactors characterized by a core-shell metal-metal oxide active phase directly anchored onto metallic (Fecralloy) 3D open foam substrates. The application of a CeO 2 overlayer onto preformed Pt nanoparticles promoted the intrinsic catalytic activity for CO oxidation and induced a remarkable stabilization effect against sintering and extensive reconstruction of the active phase up to 800 C.

Chemical Engineering Journal, 2016

ZnO-CuO dispersion on activated carbon enhances H 2 S adsorption capacity. Effect of Cu:Zn ratio ... more ZnO-CuO dispersion on activated carbon enhances H 2 S adsorption capacity. Effect of Cu:Zn ratio investigated at fixed total metal loading in the sorbent. H 2 S dynamic adsorption tests run at 30°C in N 2 followed by TPD of H 2 S and SO 2. Cu addition improves adsorption capacity and active phase utilization factor. Reactive H 2 S adsorption forms both metal sulphates and sulphides.

Topics in Catalysis, 2016

In this work we review our results on the preparation, characterization and testing of copper/cer... more In this work we review our results on the preparation, characterization and testing of copper/ceria structured catalysts for CO abatement in H 2-rich streams by preferential oxidation. Copper/ceria wash-coated monoliths were prepared by a modified dip coating procedure. The effect of the substrate properties (cell density and wall thermal conductivity) on the catalytic performances and the effect of the slurry preparation on the wash-coat adhesion were investigated. The role of the temperature profile on the performances was also studied and the dependence of thermal profile on the cell density and the wall thermal conductivity was shown. Monoliths with both high cell density and high thermal conductivity of the substrate represent the best option, providing a very good thermal management of the process due to the reduction of hot spots over the catalyst surface. On the other hand, washcoat adhesion is significantly improved by the presence of nanometric ceria in the slurry used to dip-coat the monoliths, due to the partial penetration of the wash-coat into the substrate macropores. Moreover, due to the modifications of the specific surface area and the pore size distribution upon addition of nanometric ceria to the slurry, copper dispersion and, then, CO selectivity were enhanced as well.

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2019

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2015

Abstract In this work the effect of Fe addition to copper/ceria catalysts on the catalytic activi... more Abstract In this work the effect of Fe addition to copper/ceria catalysts on the catalytic activity toward CO-PROX reaction has been studied and related to the modification of textural and redox properties induced by iron. Catalysts have been characterized by the use of BET surface area measure, X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and TPR with different reducing mixtures (CO/N2 and/or H2/N2). Results show that iron promotes a superficial enrichment of highly dispersed copper sites improving catalyst reducibility, especially under CO-containing mixture, thus resulting in an enhanced selectivity of CO-PROX reaction.

Catalysts, 2021

Geopolymer-based monoliths manufactured by direct ink writing, containing up to 60% by weight of ... more Geopolymer-based monoliths manufactured by direct ink writing, containing up to 60% by weight of presynthesized ZSM5 with low Si/Al ratio, were investigated as structured catalysts for the NH3-SCR of NOx. Copper was introduced as the active metal by ion exchange after a preliminary acid treatment of the monoliths. Monolithic catalysts were characterized by morphological (XRD and SEM), textural (BET and pore size distribution), mechanical (compressive strength), chemical (ICP–MS), redox (H2-TPR) and surface (NH3-TPD) analyses, showing the preservation of Cu-exchanged zeolite features in the composite monoliths. NH3-SCR tests, carried out on both monolithic and powdered samples in the temperature range 70–550 °C, confirmed that composite monoliths provide a very good activity and a high selectivity to N2 over the whole range of temperatures explored due to the hierarchical structure of the materials, in addition to a good mechanical resistance—mostly related to the geopolymer matrix.

Chemical Engineering Transactions, 2021

Cu-exchanged zeolites with MFI structure, such as ZSM-5, represent effective catalysts for SCR pr... more Cu-exchanged zeolites with MFI structure, such as ZSM-5, represent effective catalysts for SCR processes when the application requires a good thermal stability under a wide range of temperature as for the after-treatment of exhaust gas from diesel engine. The production of zeolite in a structured form, mandatorily required for mobile applications, is quite complex due to the poor adhesion of the material. In this paper 3D-printed geopolymers containing about 37 % ZSM-5 are proposed as potentially structured catalysts for SCR applications. The production of the monolith and the pre-treatment necessary to introduce copper as active exchanged cation are investigated. The effect of pre-treatments on the physical and morphological structure of both geopolymer and zeolite and on the nature of copper introduced in the subsequent step was studied using characterization techniques such as SEM, XRD, N2 physisorption and Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR).

Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol carried out using ZnCl2 or CuCl2 as Lewis acid activators was ... more Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol carried out using ZnCl2 or CuCl2 as Lewis acid activators was investigated by exploring various synthesis parameters in order to produce activated carbons with different porosity and metal load. The temperature of polymerization was changed according to Lewis acidity strength of the two metal chlorides: 0 °C for CuCl2 and 80 °C for ZnCl2. The polymer obtained was pyrolyzed under pure He flow or under 1000 ppm O2/He flow at 600 or 850 °C in order to produce activated carbons with specific textural features. The load and nature of the residual metal after pyrolysis were determined by ICP and XRD analyses, respectively. Copper was mostly preserved even at high pyrolysis temperature in contrast to zinc, which was almost totally lost at 850 °C. A foamy structure was detected by SEM analysis for all samples. Textural properties were determined by both N2 and CO2 physisorption; surface areas and pore size distributions were evaluated according to BET, DFT...

Catalysts

The catalytic methanation of CO2 via the strongly exothermic equilibrium Sabatier reaction requir... more The catalytic methanation of CO2 via the strongly exothermic equilibrium Sabatier reaction requires the development of structured catalysts with enhanced mass- and heat-transfer features to limit hot-spot formation, avoid catalyst deactivation, and control process selectivity. In this work, we investigated the use of polymer-derived SiC open-cell foams as structured carriers onto which γ-Al2O3 was applied by either dip-coating or pore-filling methods; eventually, Ru was dispersed by impregnation. The formation of an undesired insulating SiO2 layer on the surface of the SiC struts was prevented by a pyrolysis treatment under an inert atmosphere at temperatures varying from 800 up to 1800 °C. SiC foam substrates and their corresponding structured catalysts were characterized by SEM, XRD, N2 physisorption, and compressive strength measurements, and their CO2 methanation activity was tested at atmospheric pressure in a fixed bed flow reactor operated in the temperature range from 200 to...

In this work a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the dynamic interaction between NO a... more In this work a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the dynamic interaction between NO and Cu-ZSM-5 and the consequent formation of reaction intermediates in a range of temperature lower than the threshold of any steady-state reaction has been reported. The adsorption tests, followed by a TPD analysis, have been carried out by continuous monitoring the gaseous effluents starting from different initial oxidation state of copper, at different temperature of adsorption (25-225°C) and NO concentration (800-5000ppm), at variable exposure times in the presence and in the absence of O2. In situ FTIR experiments have also be performed under similar conditions. On the basis of the results obtained under the different experimental conditions a quantitative analysis of nitrogen containing species and their evolutions with time on stream and a mechanism of N2, N2O and nitrate formation, have been proposed. Moreover, the adsorption properties of Cu-ZSM-5 towards nitrogen oxides have bee...

Catalysts, 2019

Catalyst life-time represents one of the most crucial economic aspects in most industrial catalyt... more Catalyst life-time represents one of the most crucial economic aspects in most industrial catalytic processes, due to costly shut-downs, catalyst replacements and proper disposal of spentmaterials[...]

Materials

An unexpected promoting effect of KBr, used as a diluting salt, on the degradation of picric acid... more An unexpected promoting effect of KBr, used as a diluting salt, on the degradation of picric acid (PA) was observed during in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy experiments performed here under accelerated ageing conditions—at 80 °C and under an inert or oxidative atmosphere. While the formation of potassium picrate was excluded, this promoting effect—which is undesired as it masks the possible effects of test conditions on the ageing process of the material—was assumed to favor a first step of the decomposition mechanism of PA, which involves the inter- or intramolecular transfer of hydrogen to the nitro group, and possibly proceeds up to the formation of an amino group. An alternative diluting salt, ZnSe, which is much less commonly used in infrared spectroscopy than KBr, was then proposed in order to avoid misleading interpretation of the results. ZnSe was found to act as a truly inert diluting salt, preventing the promoting effect of KBr. Th...

The performance of the platinum-cobalt catalysts in a carbon monoxide preferential oxidation (PRO... more The performance of the platinum-cobalt catalysts in a carbon monoxide preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor was investigated for polymer electrolyte fuel cell systems. First, the PROX reaction was analyzed based on two major reactions involved in it, i.e., oxidation of carbon monoxide and the H 2-O 2 reaction. Both reactions were affected by the other reaction depending on the reaction temperature regions, but the extent of the influence is not so large. The platinum-cobalt catalysts were found to exhibit high performance in PROX of carbon monoxide in rich hydrogen as a result of catalytic synergy effect between platinum and cobalt. In order to improve such synergy effect, the catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method and subsequent supercritical drying. The platinum-cobalt catalysts prepared by the single step sol-gel procedure exhibited higher activity for PROX than the catalysts prepared by the conventional impregnation. Supercritical drying preserved the active species of platinum-cobalt phase, therefore, the platinum-cobalt composite aerogel catalyst exhibited excellent ability for the carbon monoxide removal.

Advanced Science Letters, 2017

The catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane-hydrogen mixtures in air, intended for the first... more The catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane-hydrogen mixtures in air, intended for the first stage of hybrid radiant catalytic burners, was investigated under self-sustained short contact time conditions on commercial Ni foam catalysts eventually modified with Rh and Pt. The modified catalysts were prepared by a simple novel method based on the spontaneous deposition of noble metals via metal exchange reactions onto those Ni foam substrates. Modification with noble metals enhances stability and reducibility of the Ni foam whereas the overall CPO performance is not significantly improved. Safe operation of the CPO reactor with up to 70% vol. H 2 in the fuel mixture has been achieved by properly increasing the feed equivalence ratio to avoid catalyst overheating, while guaranteeing high methane conversions and a persistent net hydrogen production.

Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, 1997

Catalysts based on the Vanadia-Titania system are widely used for the abatement of pollutants, pa... more Catalysts based on the Vanadia-Titania system are widely used for the abatement of pollutants, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx), in the exhaust gases of industrial plants. Their mechanism of operation is based on the catalytic reduction reaction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia (SCR). In this paper, two commercial catalysts based on the V-W-Ti system of very similar nominal composition were compared. The two samples were analyzed in the fresh state and after a period of operation in a waste-gas plant of a waste-to-energy plant. The materials were first characterized from the chemicalstructural point of view through instrumental techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), SEM scanning electron microscopy observations with analysis EDS, measurement of pore size and specific surface area through nitrogen adsorption/ desorption and BET technique. Subsequently, the catalytic properties of the new and used catalysts in the NH3-SCR reaction were evaluated. The results of the analyzes showed that the samples are both made of a titanium matrix in the form of anatase, reinforced with glass fibers, used as a support for the active phases based on V and W. The percentages of vanadium are practically the same for both systems, while the tungsten percentage is very different. The specific surface also has very similar values for the two fresh catalysts. The tests of catalytic activity, on the other hand, have given very different results, particularly for one of the two catalysts, the performance decays much faster than the other. The kinetic measurements show that the decay is not due to a specific surface decrease, due to the presence of precipitates, but to a difference in initial activity between the two catalysts, linked to the different tungsten content.

Nanostructured Catalysts for Environmental Applications, 2021

Note: This paper is intended to be published in the 2015 fourth issue of Europhysics News as a "F... more Note: This paper is intended to be published in the 2015 fourth issue of Europhysics News as a "Feature Article".

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2018

The sequential electrodeposition of Pt nanoparticles and CeO 2 protective layers has been explore... more The sequential electrodeposition of Pt nanoparticles and CeO 2 protective layers has been explored as a simple method to prepare structured catalytic reactors characterized by a core-shell metal-metal oxide active phase directly anchored onto metallic (Fecralloy) 3D open foam substrates. The application of a CeO 2 overlayer onto preformed Pt nanoparticles promoted the intrinsic catalytic activity for CO oxidation and induced a remarkable stabilization effect against sintering and extensive reconstruction of the active phase up to 800 C.

Chemical Engineering Journal, 2016

ZnO-CuO dispersion on activated carbon enhances H 2 S adsorption capacity. Effect of Cu:Zn ratio ... more ZnO-CuO dispersion on activated carbon enhances H 2 S adsorption capacity. Effect of Cu:Zn ratio investigated at fixed total metal loading in the sorbent. H 2 S dynamic adsorption tests run at 30°C in N 2 followed by TPD of H 2 S and SO 2. Cu addition improves adsorption capacity and active phase utilization factor. Reactive H 2 S adsorption forms both metal sulphates and sulphides.

Topics in Catalysis, 2016

In this work we review our results on the preparation, characterization and testing of copper/cer... more In this work we review our results on the preparation, characterization and testing of copper/ceria structured catalysts for CO abatement in H 2-rich streams by preferential oxidation. Copper/ceria wash-coated monoliths were prepared by a modified dip coating procedure. The effect of the substrate properties (cell density and wall thermal conductivity) on the catalytic performances and the effect of the slurry preparation on the wash-coat adhesion were investigated. The role of the temperature profile on the performances was also studied and the dependence of thermal profile on the cell density and the wall thermal conductivity was shown. Monoliths with both high cell density and high thermal conductivity of the substrate represent the best option, providing a very good thermal management of the process due to the reduction of hot spots over the catalyst surface. On the other hand, washcoat adhesion is significantly improved by the presence of nanometric ceria in the slurry used to dip-coat the monoliths, due to the partial penetration of the wash-coat into the substrate macropores. Moreover, due to the modifications of the specific surface area and the pore size distribution upon addition of nanometric ceria to the slurry, copper dispersion and, then, CO selectivity were enhanced as well.

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2019

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Applied Catalysis A: General, 2015

Abstract In this work the effect of Fe addition to copper/ceria catalysts on the catalytic activi... more Abstract In this work the effect of Fe addition to copper/ceria catalysts on the catalytic activity toward CO-PROX reaction has been studied and related to the modification of textural and redox properties induced by iron. Catalysts have been characterized by the use of BET surface area measure, X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and TPR with different reducing mixtures (CO/N2 and/or H2/N2). Results show that iron promotes a superficial enrichment of highly dispersed copper sites improving catalyst reducibility, especially under CO-containing mixture, thus resulting in an enhanced selectivity of CO-PROX reaction.

Catalysts, 2021

Geopolymer-based monoliths manufactured by direct ink writing, containing up to 60% by weight of ... more Geopolymer-based monoliths manufactured by direct ink writing, containing up to 60% by weight of presynthesized ZSM5 with low Si/Al ratio, were investigated as structured catalysts for the NH3-SCR of NOx. Copper was introduced as the active metal by ion exchange after a preliminary acid treatment of the monoliths. Monolithic catalysts were characterized by morphological (XRD and SEM), textural (BET and pore size distribution), mechanical (compressive strength), chemical (ICP–MS), redox (H2-TPR) and surface (NH3-TPD) analyses, showing the preservation of Cu-exchanged zeolite features in the composite monoliths. NH3-SCR tests, carried out on both monolithic and powdered samples in the temperature range 70–550 °C, confirmed that composite monoliths provide a very good activity and a high selectivity to N2 over the whole range of temperatures explored due to the hierarchical structure of the materials, in addition to a good mechanical resistance—mostly related to the geopolymer matrix.

Chemical Engineering Transactions, 2021

Cu-exchanged zeolites with MFI structure, such as ZSM-5, represent effective catalysts for SCR pr... more Cu-exchanged zeolites with MFI structure, such as ZSM-5, represent effective catalysts for SCR processes when the application requires a good thermal stability under a wide range of temperature as for the after-treatment of exhaust gas from diesel engine. The production of zeolite in a structured form, mandatorily required for mobile applications, is quite complex due to the poor adhesion of the material. In this paper 3D-printed geopolymers containing about 37 % ZSM-5 are proposed as potentially structured catalysts for SCR applications. The production of the monolith and the pre-treatment necessary to introduce copper as active exchanged cation are investigated. The effect of pre-treatments on the physical and morphological structure of both geopolymer and zeolite and on the nature of copper introduced in the subsequent step was studied using characterization techniques such as SEM, XRD, N2 physisorption and Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR).

Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol carried out using ZnCl2 or CuCl2 as Lewis acid activators was ... more Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol carried out using ZnCl2 or CuCl2 as Lewis acid activators was investigated by exploring various synthesis parameters in order to produce activated carbons with different porosity and metal load. The temperature of polymerization was changed according to Lewis acidity strength of the two metal chlorides: 0 °C for CuCl2 and 80 °C for ZnCl2. The polymer obtained was pyrolyzed under pure He flow or under 1000 ppm O2/He flow at 600 or 850 °C in order to produce activated carbons with specific textural features. The load and nature of the residual metal after pyrolysis were determined by ICP and XRD analyses, respectively. Copper was mostly preserved even at high pyrolysis temperature in contrast to zinc, which was almost totally lost at 850 °C. A foamy structure was detected by SEM analysis for all samples. Textural properties were determined by both N2 and CO2 physisorption; surface areas and pore size distributions were evaluated according to BET, DFT...