ABSTRACT
The chapter is dedicated to the synthesis and characterization of various glass-fiber catalysts (GFCs). Such catalysts use microfibrous materials as supports and active components, selected from a wide range of noble metals (like Pt or Pd) or transient metals oxides (Fe, V, Cu, Ni, and others). The significant progress in the manufacturing of GFCs was achieved by using a surface thermal synthesis (STS) method, making it possible to synthesize the active centers directly on the surface of the fibers in the reaction between the metal precursor and fuel additive during fast heating. This technology is a simple, easily scalable, and practically free of production wastes. The STS method provides a high dispersity of the supported active component, resulting in a high activity of the produced GFCs. If necessary, the glass-fiber support can be modified by the deposition of an additional external layer of a secondary porous support to allow for an increase of the active component amount (up to 10% mass). This chapter examines the application of GFCs in practically important reactions, such as an oxidation of organic compounds, NOx reduction, SO2 oxidation, selective oxidation of H2S, and carbonization of Ni. It is shown that GFCs synthesized by means of STS method are characterized by a high activity, operation stability, and resistance to thermal shocks.
