Activated ignition promoters for metal catalyzed reactions

Abstract

The inventors have discovered catalyst ignition promoters comprising one or more activated metals. The catalyst ignition promoters are easily prepared from a number of metal sources, including spent catalysts, are activated quickly and provide effective catalyst ignition independent of the quality of the metals that comprise the catalytic converter. The one or more activated metals comprising the ignition promoter are prepared by contacting them with one or more chemical treatments. The activated metal components are prepared into suitable articles, referred to as ignition strips, that are placed in contact with one or more oxidative coupling catalysts, typically in the form of gauzes. The ignition promoters reduce the activation energy for catalyst ignition (also referred to “light off”), enabling ignition of catalyst gauzes that are new, used, contaminated, damaged and combinations thereof at a relatively low auto-ignition temperatures.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . A process for lowering the ignition temperature of methane and ammonia in the manufacture of hydrogen cyanide comprising the step of contacting a catalyst with one or more ignition promoting articles for manufacture of compounds selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen cyanide, nitric acid, acetylene, C 2 -C 8  alkenes, synthesis gas, and formaldehyde, said article comprising a gauze catalyst selected from the group consisting of: a used catalyst, a contaminated catalyst, a damaged catalyst, and combinations thereof, said gauze catalyst, said articles each comprising one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, copper, iridium, rhenium, cerium, alloys thereof, binary alloys thereof, ternary alloys thereof, intermetallics thereof, and combinations thereof, the article further comprising less than 1 percent by weight of a metal coating, based on the weight of the article, of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, copper, iridium, rhenium, cerium, alloys thereof, binary alloys thereof, ternary alloys thereof, intermetallics thereof, and combinations thereof; wherein the one or more metals is deposited on the article using one or more chemical treatments or a combination of one or more chemical and physical treatments. 
   
   
       8 . A process for igniting one or more catalysts selected from the group consisting of new catalysts, used catalysts, recycled catalysts, reconditioned catalysts, damaged catalysts, contaminated catalysts and combinations thereof, comprising the step of contacting each catalyst with one or more ignition promoting articles for manufacture of compounds selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen cyanide, nitric acid, acetylene, C 2 -C 8  alkenes, synthesis gas, and formaldehyde, said article comprising a gauze catalyst selected from the group consisting of: a used catalyst, a contaminated catalyst, a damaged catalyst, and combinations thereof, said gauze catalyst, said articles each comprising one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, copper, iridium, rhenium, cerium, alloys thereof, binary alloys thereof, ternary alloys thereof, intermetallics thereof, and combinations thereof, the article further comprising less than 1 percent by weight of a metal coating, based on the weight of the article, of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, copper, iridium, rhenium, cerium, alloys thereof, binary alloys thereof, ternary alloys thereof, intermetallics thereof, and combinations thereof; wherein the one or more metals is deposited on the article using one or more chemical treatments or a combination of one or more chemical and physical treatments. 
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the metal coating on the ignition promoting article is prepared from one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: platinum black, platinum sponge Raney Ni, platinum (II) halides (PtF2, PtCl2, PtBr2 and PtI2), platinum (IV) halides (PtF4, PtCl4, PtBr4 and PtI4), platinum(VI) halides (PtF62-, PtCl62-, PtBr 62 - and PtI62-), Zeise salts, ammonia complexes of Pt(II), Pt(IV) and Pt(VI), chloroplatinic acid (H2PtCl6), bromoplatinic acid (H2PtBr6), organometallic Pt(0) compounds, bis(ethylene)platinum compounds and divinyltetralkylsiloxanePt(0) compounds, platinum acetylacetonate, platinum cyanide, platinum hydride complexes and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the weight of the metal coating on the ignition promoting article is from 0.05 to 0.75 percent by weight, based on the weight of the article.