Fiber glass supported catalysts and pure platinum: laser ignition of catalytic combustion of propane

A pure platinum (Pt) catalyst and a new industrial catalyst, the silica fib er glass catalyst (SFGC) doped with only 0.28 Pt, were studied and compared . For propane-air catalytic combustion, the ignition of the reaction and it s stability were investigated. The reaction, ignited by a laser beam, propa gated as a wave front with constant amplitude and velocity along both catal ysts, similar to 10 mm/s for Pt, and 1-2 mm/s for SFGC. Laser ignition thre sholds and the parameter space for front propagation were determined for bo th catalysts. Spatial instability (resulting in the destruction of the homo geneous regime of combustion and in the formation of hot spots) was found f or Pt, but not for SFGC. The new catalyst (SFGC) containing only 10(-3) of Pt has the same catalytic activity as pure Pt and better spatial stability.