Potential of Ge-adopted Boron Nitride Nanotube as Catalyst for Sulfur Dioxide Oxidation

Abstract

In recent years, the discovery of efficient catalyst with low price to sulfur dioxide (SO2) oxidation in normal temperature is a major concern in the industry. In present study, in first step the boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) with Ge were adopted and the surface of Ge-adopted BNNT via O2 molecule were activated. In second step the SO2 oxidation on activated Ge-BNNT surface via Langmuir Hinshelwood (LH) and Eley Rideal (ER) mechanisms was investigated. Results show that O2 activated Ge-BNNT surface can oxide the SO2 molecule via Ge-BNNT-O-O* + SO2 → Ge-BNNT-O-O*-SO2 → Ge-BNNT-O* + SO3 and Ge-BNNT-O* + SO2 → Ge-BNNT + SO3 reactions. Results show that SO2 oxidation on activated Ge-BNNT surface via the LH mechanism has lower energy barrier than ER mechanism. Finally, calculated parameters reveal that activated Ge-BNNT is acceptable catalyst with low price and high performance for SO2 oxidation in normal temperature.