Gasochromic property of dehydrogenation-catalyst loaded tungsten trioxide Original Research Article

The gasochromic property of dehydrogenation-catalyst loaded tungsten trioxide (M/WO3) powders was examined in exposure to gaseous cyclohexane under different kinds and contents of catalysts, catalyst temperatures, and cyclohexane concentrations. The change in the intensity of visible lights reflected from the M/WO3 powders was in situ obtained using a portable visible-light spectrometer associating with the analysis of dehydrogenation products when M/WO3 powders were exposed to cyclohexane gas. The catalyst of Pt was a catalyst initiating dehydrogenation and change of reflected light intensity at lower temperatures in comparison with the catalysts of Pd and Rh. Among 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt% Pt/WO3 powders, 0.5 wt% Pt/WO3 powders demonstrated large change of reflected 640-nm lights, 5.4%, to visually detect their coloration at lower temperatures. The heating of 0.5 wt% Pt/WO3 powders at temperatures higher than 130 °C was required to visually detect cyclohexane at a concentration of 1 vol%, lower than the combustion lower limit (1.3 vol%). The quantitative analysis of hydrogen species such as hydrogen atoms and ions absorbed in 0.1–1 wt% Pt/WO3 powders demonstrated that Pt/WO3 powders would absorb the same amount of hydrogen species independent of loaded-Pt contents.