Surface characterization of the active RuO2· xH2O catalyst supported on teflon

Abstract

The nature of the catalyst–support interactio in a very active system based on hydrated ruthenium oxide on a Teflon substrate has been investigated mainly by XPS. The presence of ruthenium species chemisorbed on the substrate by means of hydrogen bonds and ruthenium species bonded toe Teflon to form ‘ruthenate-like compounds’ is proposed. A model implying the formation of intermediate Ru^VIII compounds ‘anchored’ to the substrate is porposed to explain the peculiar catalytic behaviour of this activ esupported catalyst.