Micoli L., Turco M., 2015, Decomposition of H2O2 on Monolithic MnOx/ZrO2 Catalysts for Aerospace Application, Chemical Engineering Transactions, 43, 1819-1824.
Hydrogen peroxide is widely recommended in aerospace field for propulsive applications for the high energy density and for its “green” nature due to low toxicity and low environmental impact in comparison with conventional propellants (N2H4, N2O4). Nevertheless, the presence of a catalyst is necessary for H2O2 decomposition due to the low kinetics of the homogeneous reaction. The catalytic activity of innovative materials for the hydrogen peroxide decomposition has been studied under the vapour phase condition at 200 °C. Catalysts are based on manganese oxides (MnOx) dispersed on monolithic zirconia substrates. They have been developed using a precipitation technique with an improved procedure; content of the active phase was from 0.5 to 2.0 wt %. Results obtained showed a high activity of the catalysts. The conversion was strongly depending on the space velocity and on MnOx content on the support.
