Copper-silver bimetallic system on natural clinoptilolite: thermal reduction of Cu2+ and Ag+ exchanged.

Copper-silver bimetallic system supported on natural clinoptilolite from Tasajeras deposit (Cuba) was studied. Bimetallic samples were prepared by simultaneous ion exchange, and reduced in a wide temperature range in a hydrogen flow. The main goal of the work was analysis of the mutual influence of both metals on their reduction process and the properties of the resultant particles. Analysis was done by combined use of XRD and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The reduction of Cu2+ and Ag+ cations shows existence of notable inter-influence between both cations during this process. The Cu2+ reduction is favored by the presence of Ag+, which should be related with the synergetic influence of silver cations and/or clusters formed on the first stages of reduction on Cu(2+)-framework interaction, facilitating the Cu2+ reduction even at low temperature (25 and 50 degrees C). The aggregation of the reduced highly dispersed species both for copper and silver is limited in this bimetallic system. The introduction of Ag+ as the second cation in the copper-exchanged zeolites favors the copper reduction at lower temperatures (25 and 50 degrees C), and appears to be the efficient tool for the control of the size of the resultant reduced nanoparticles (it means their dispersion).