Carbonaceous deposits accumulate on the majority of the inner surfaces of internal combustion engines. The presence of these deposits is known to cause impaired engine performance. This is manifested as increased knocking, higher fuel consumption, higher emissions and other adverse effects. One of the proposed mechanisms for this behaviour is the adsorption and desorption of fuel components in the pores within the deposit. The porous nature of the deposits promotes this behaviour, altering the fuel composition and reducing the amount of fuel entering the combustion chamber. Previous research in this area was aimed at determining the porous structure of the deposits by combining experimental procedures with molecular simulations to investigate adsorption interactions with fuel components. Using a characterisation procedure regularly applied to activated carbons, a molecular model was developed that was able to provide new insights into the deposit structure. This model enabled predictions to be made for the single-component adsorption of normal heptane and iso-octane, two species commonly used as a gasoline reference fuel. Results showed significant adsorption of both species, and highlighted the impact of adsorption into the internal porous structure of the engine deposits. The aim of this thesis is to further investigate adsorption in engine deposits by expanding the studies to more complex systems. We develop a model to predict the adsorption of normal heptane, iso-octane, toluene and their mixtures in deposits of different origins and under different conditions. The study of multi-component mixtures provides insight into selectivity effects of adsorption under confinement, while at the same time bringing the systems under consideration closer to realistic multi-component mixtures that better represent fuel blends. The study also considers for the first time adsorption of aromatic species, both as a single component and in mixtures, since aromatics have a high presence in gasoline fuel. We explore the influence of molecular structure of adsorbing species, composition of the bulk mixture and temperature on the uptake and selectivity behaviour of the engine deposits. We demonstrate that under equilibrium conditions, deposits can adsorb substantial amounts of hydrocarbon species of all types. However, selectivity behaviour in engine deposits was found to be a subtle and complex property, highly sensitive to both pore size and system pressure.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The presence of mineral oils in dry foodstuff was found to originate from the packaging materials, namely, paperboard manufactured from recovered fibres, and these oils subsequently migrate to the foodstuff via the vapour phase. The presence of mineral oils in food is of concern as it originates from the use of paper products not originally intended for food contact applications, i.e., before the paper is subjected to a suitable recycling process. These mineral oils consist of technical grade compounds which may contain aromatic compounds and other components with unknown toxicological effects. Although the related authorities are currently considering the safe and legal limits of these contaminants in foodstuffs, as well as establishing a standardised test method for monitoring mineral oils in food and packaging materials, paperboard manufacturers wish to ensure that their products are safe for food contact applications. Since recycling is unavoidable, particularly from an ecological and economical point of view, one of the proposed solutions the industry is focussing on is the use of a functional barrier towards mineral oils – be it an inner bag as a direct food-contact surface, or a barrier coating directly applied on the inner side of the paperboard. In this study, a permeation test method was established, and developed, to evaluate the transmission rate of a volatile organic compound, acting as a mineral oil simulant, through model paper and plastic packaging materials. This was correlated to the transmission rate of actual mineral oil through the packaging materials, and therefore used as a highly accelerated tool to characterise packaging materials in relation to their barrier properties. The test method, referred to as the “heptane vapour transmission rate,” was subsequently used to derive the required transport parameters’ characteristics of each of the tested materials, which enabled an evaluation of the potential shelf-life of the packaged product. This research demonstrated that barrier-coated paperboards have the ability to behave in the same way as, and often even better than, commercial plastic films, towards the migration of mineral oil. Detailed information on the interaction between the packaging materials and mineral oil simulant, n-heptane, was acquired from gravimetric sorption. Insight was obtained into a material’s ability to function as a mineral oil barrier. It was established that the quick and easy permeation method was sufficient for evaluating packaging materials as potential mineral oil barriers, and resulted in the determination of transport parameters that were higher than that obtained by sorption. The obtained transport parameters could therefore be considered a worst case scenario when predicting the package content shelf-life. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is voorheen bevind dat die teenwoordigheid van mineraalolies in droë voedsel afkomstig is van die verpakkingsmateriaal, naamlik karton, wat vervaardig is van herwonne papierprodukte, en daarna migreer die olies na die voedsel deur die gasfase. Die teenwoordigheid van hierdie mineraalolies in kos wek groot kommer aangesien dit afkomstig is van papierprodukte wat nie oorspronklik bedoel is vir voedselkontak voor die herwinningsproses nie. Die olies bestaan uit industriële graad mineraalolies wat moontlik aromatiese verbindings asook ander komponente bevat waarvan die toksiekologiese effekte onbekend is. Terwyl die betrokke owerhede tans besig is om die veilige en wettige grense van hierdie kontaminante in voedsel te oorweeg, asook die vestigting van 'n gestandaardiseerde toetsmetode vir die kontrole van mineraalolies in die voedsel-verpakkingsmateriaal-kombinasie, wil karton- en papiervervaardigers graag verseker dat hul produkte veilig is vir voedselkontak. Siende dat herwinning onvermydelik is vanuit 'n ekologiese en ekonomiese oogpunt, is een van die voorgestelde oplossings in die bedryf om te fokus op die gebruik van 'n funksionele keerfilm ten opsigte van mineraalolies, wat ‘n sakkie binne-in die karton, wat dien as die direkte kos-kontakoppervlak, of 'n keerlaag, wat direk aangewend word op die binnekant van die karton, kan behels. Hierdie studie ondersoek die daarstel en deursypelingsontwikkeling van 'n toetsmetode om die oordragtempo van 'n vlugtige organiese verbinding, wat optree as 'n mineraalolie simulant, deur middel van model papier- en plastiekverpakkingsmateriale, te evalueer. Dit stem ooreen met die oordragtempo van werklike mineraalolies deur die verpakkingsmateriaal en kan dus gebruik word as 'n hoogs versnelde instrument om verpakkingsmateriale te karakteriseer met betrekking tot hul keereienskappe. Die toetsmetode, die sogenaamde "heptaangasoordragtempo," is vervolgens gebruik om die vereiste oordragparameters af te lei wat kenmerkend is van elk van die geëvalueerde verpakkingsmateriale en wat sodoende gebruik kon word om die potensiële raklewe van die verpakte produk te bepaal. Hierdie navorsing het getoon dat kartonprodukte met ‘n keerlaag die vermoë het om dieselfde op te tree as kommersiële plastiekfilms en dikwels selfs beter, ten opsigte van die migrasie van mineraalolies. Gedetailleerde inligting oor die interaksie tussen die verpakkingsmateriale en mineraalolie simulant, n-heptaan, is verkry vanaf gravimetriese sorpsie. Dit gee insig in 'n materiaal se vermoë om te funksioneer as 'n mineraalolie-keermiddel. Daar is vasgestel dat die vinnige en maklike deurwerking metode voldoende is vir die evaluering van verpakkingsmateriale as potensiële mineraalolie-keermiddels, en verleen oordragparameters wat hoër is as dié verkry deur sorpsie. Hierdie oordragparameters kan dus as 'n ergste scenario vir die voorspelling van die raklewe van ‘n verpakte produk beskou word.

Cette thèse porte sur l'étude expérimentale de la cavitation acoustique dans l'eau et quelques autres liquides. Le 1er chapitre est consacré à une présentation des transitions de phase du premier ordre dans le régime métastable. Le 2e chapitre présente la théorie de nucléation classique, ainsi que le théorème de nucléation d'Oxtoby qui nous permet d'évaluer le volume de la bulle critique dans nos expériences. Puis un bilan expérimental de quelques méthodes pour étudier la cavitation est dressé. Nous présentons les singularités de l'eau par rapport aux autres liquides et montrons en quoi une étude de la limite de cavitation permettrait de les comprendre. Dans le 3e, nous présentons notre dispositif acoustique ainsi que la méthode de pression statique qui permet de déterminer la pression de cavitation. Nous présentons en détail l'hydrophone à fibre optique construit pour cette thèse sur le modèle de celui d'Eisenmenger, qui permet de mesurer la densité au seuil de cavitation. Les résultats et leur analyse sont présentés, pour l'eau, dans le 4e, pour le D2O, l'éthanol, l'heptane et le DMSO, dans le 5e chapitre. De l'étude de l'eau, il ressort que l'on est très loin de la théorie, et d'un type d'expérience. En revanche une modification par un facteur constant en température, de la tension de surface de l'eau permet de prédire nos résultats en pression, mais pas les volumes critiques de nucléation. Par ailleurs, l'étude dans les autres liquides montre que nous pouvons, par notre méthode, arriver à des résultats proches de la théorie, d'autant plus que la tension de surface du liquide étudié est faible.

Les catalyseurs bifonctionnels pour l’hydrocraquage nécessitent à la fois des sites acides de Brønsted et des sites métalliques. L’intimité entre sites acides et sites métalliques peut donc influer sur l’activité et la sélectivité de la réaction. Nous nous sommes proposés d’explorer l’effet de la distance sites métalliques-sites acides sur la conversion du n-heptane en concevant des catalyseurs à base de platine supportés sur des nanostructures alumine-zéolithe. Pour cela, nous avons étudié la synthèse de suspensions colloïdales nanométriques de zéolithes NaY (20 nm) beta (30 nm), ZSM-5 (50 nm). Des matériaux composites ont ensuite été préparés, soit par synthèse directe en présence d’un support, soit par mise en contact de ces suspensions colloïdales (dans les conditions appropriés de pH) avec des suspensions de boehmite (se transformant en γ-alumina par calcination). Des composites cœur-zéolithe@couronne(alumine) ont ainsi été obtenus. Les particules de platine ont été par la suite sélectivement formées sur les domaines alumine ou zéolithe de ces composites en utilisant le précurseur approprié de platine dans un domaine de pH adapté (pH=5-8). Les catalyseurs ainsi préparés ont été comparés à d’autres catalyseurs pour lesquels la distance entre sites acides et sites métalliques varie entre le nm et le μm, pour former une série de catalyseurs avec des distances métal-acide et des accessibilités aux sites différentes. L’étude catalytique a permis de conclure que l’amélioration de l’accessibilité aux sites actifs (Pt0/Alumine-nanozéolithe) améliore la sélectivité a vers les produits d’isomérisation, alors que la distance ne joue un rôle inhibiteur que quand elle atteint une échelle de plusieurs μm. / Bifunctional hydrocracking catalysts require both Brønsted acid sites and metal sites. Hence, the intimacy between acid sites and metal sites can influence the activity and selectivity of the reaction. We intended to explore the effect of metal sites-acid sites distance on the conversion of n-heptane by designing platinum catalysts supported on alumina-zeolite nanostructures. For this, we studied the synthesis of nanoscale colloidal suspensions of zeolite NaY (20 nm) beta (30 nm), ZSM-5 (50 nm). Composite materials were then prepared either by direct synthesis in the presence of a support, or by contacting these colloidal suspensions (at appropriate pH conditions) with suspensions of boehmite (turning into γ-alumina by calcination). Zeolite-core@alumina-crown composite crown) were thus obtained. The platinum particles were thereafter selectively formed on the alumina or zeolite domains of these composites using the appropriate precursor of platinum in a suitable pH range (pH = 5-8). The thus-prepared catalysts were compared with other catalysts, for which the distance between the acid sites and the metal sites varies between nm and μm scales, to form a series of catalysts with variable acid-metal distances and accessibilities. Catalytic study concluded that improving accessibility to the active sites (Pt0 / Alumina-nanozéolithe) improves the selectivity to isomerization, while the distance plays an inhibitory role only when it reaches a scale of several microns.

In dieser Arbeit werden verschiedene MOF Materialien die sich für die Wasseradsorption eignen hinsichtlich Ihrer Wasseradsorptionseigenschaften untersucht. Das vielversprechendste Material wird ausgewählt und an einem Prüfstand für Lufttrocknerkartuschen untersucht. Für diese Messungen ist eine geeignete Formgebung des Pulvers von Nöten, welche eine wichtige Rolle in dieser Arbeit spielt. Das Material Cu3(BTC)2 wurde hier zu monolithischen Formkörpern verarbeitet. Eine weitere Art der Formgebung war das Pressen von Papieren sowie das direkte Kristallwachstum auf Zellulose Fasern. Desweiteren wurden die Materialien hinsichtlich der Trocknung von n-Heptan untersucht, was hier als Referenz für Dieselkraftstoffe herangezogen wurde. Die Analytik wurde mittels Karl-Fischer Titration duchgeführt. MOF Materialien wurden in beiden Fällen mit kommerziell verwendeten Zeolithen und Silikagel verglichen. / Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were investigated for their possible use in drying of compressed air in air braking systems for commercial vehicles. Another possible application was the drying of diesel fuel. In this context, n-heptane was chosen as a reference for diesel fuel. Selected metal-organic frameworks were characterized regarding the water adsorption properties by recording water adsorption isotherms. The most promising material was further investigated on a air-drying cartridge test rig. In order to perform these tests, the powder had to be processed to monolithic structures, beads or paper sheets,i.e. a shape that is suitable for the given application. The MOF Cu3(BTC)2 was sucessfully extruded to monolithic structures, which were used in the test rig experiments. Another possibility for immobilization of Cu3(BTC)2 was the crystal growth on pulp fibers. N-heptane drying isotherms were measured on selected samples making use of Karl-Fischer coulometric titration. In both applications, MOF materials were compared with silica based desiccants.

No description available.

Des études antérieures conduites par notre groupe ont permis d’identifier l’α-1-C-nonyl-1,5-didésoxy-1,5-imino-D-xylitol en tant que puissant inhibiteur de la β-glucocérébrosidase – enzyme impliquée dans la maladie de Gaucher. La conformation inhabituelle (chaise inversée) de ce composé nous a incités à étudier plus avant la relation entre conformation et activité biologique des iminosucres. L’objectif de ces travaux de thèse consistait ainsi en la synthèse d’analogues conformationnellement contraints d’iminosucres. Dans un premier temps, trois spiro-iminosucres basés sur un squelette 5-azaspiro[3.4]octane ont été obtenus via une séquence comportant trois étapes clés : formation du cyclobutane par cyclisation radicalaire, introduction de l’azote par C-H amination et formation de la pyrrolidine par métathèse. Dans un second temps, une séquence a été développée pour la synthèse stéréodivergente d’iminosucres bicycliques accolés basés sur un squelette 6-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane via l’enchaînement de deux étapes clés : formation de la structure azabicyclique par aldolisation de type Mukaiyama puis oxydation de la cétone résultante en énone. / Previous studies performed by our group led to the identification of α-1-C-nonyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-xylitol as a powerful inhibitor of β-glucocerebrosidase, the enzyme involved in Gaucher disease. This compound’s unusual (inverted chair) conformation prompted us to further study the relationship between iminosugars’ conformation and biological activity. The aim of this PhD work was thus the synthesis of conformationally restricted iminosugar analogues. Firstly, three spiro-iminosugars based on a 5-azaspiro[3.4]octane scaffold were synthesized through a sequence including three key steps: cyclobutane formation by way of radical cyclisation, nitrogen introduction by mean of C-H amination and pyrrolidine formation by way ofmetathesis. Secondly, we developed a sequence dedicated to the stereodivergent synthesis of fused bicyclic iminosugars based on a 6-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane scaffold through a succession of two key steps: azabicyclic scaffold formation by mean of Mukaiyama aldol reaction followed by ketone to enone oxidation.

Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI) combustion is a new combustion principle in internal combustion engines which has in recent years attracted increased attention. In CAI combustion, which combines features of spark ignition (SI) and compression ignition (CI) principles, air/fuel mixture is premixed, as in SI combustion and auto-ignited by piston compression as in CI combustion. Ignition is provided in multiple points, and thus the charge gives a simultaneous energy release. This results in uniform and simultaneous auto-ignition and chemical reaction throughout the whole charge without flame propagation. CAI combustion is controlled by the chemical kinetics of air/fuel mixture with no influence of turbulence. The CAI engine offers benefits in comparison to spark ignited and compression ignited engines in higher efficiency due to elimination of throttling losses at part and idle loads. There is a possibility to use high compression ratios since it is not knock limited, and in significant lower NOx emission (≈90%) and particle matter emission (≈50%), due to much lower combustion temperature and elimination of fuel rich zones. However, there are several disadvantages of the CAI engine that limits its practical application, such as high level of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, high peak pressures, high rates of heat release, reduced power per displacement and difficulties in starting and controlling the engine. Controlling the operation over a wide range of loads and speeds is probably the major difficulty facing CAI engines. Controlling is actually two-components as it consists of auto-ignition phasing and controlling the rates of heat release. As CAI combustion is controlled by chemical kinetics of air/fuel mixture, the auto-ignition timing and heat release rate are determined by the charge properties such as temperature, composition and pressure. Therefore, changes in engine operational parameters or in types of fuel, results in changing of the charge properties. Hence, the auto-ignition timing and the rate of heat release. The Thesis investigates a controlled auto-ignition (CAI) combustion in internal combustion engines suitable for transport applications. The CAI engine environment is simulated by using a single-zone, homogeneous reactor model with a time variable volume according to the slider-crank relationship. The model uses detailed chemical kinetics and distributed heat transfer losses according to Woschini's correlation [1]. The fundamentals of chemical kinetics, and their relationship with combustion related problems are presented. The phenomenology and principles of auto-ignition process itself and its characteristics in CAI combustion are explained. The simulation model for representing CAI engine environment is established and calibrated with respect to the experimental data. The influences of fuel composition on the auto-ignition timing and the rate of heat release in a CAI engine are investigated. The effects of engine parameters on CAI combustion in different engine concepts fuelled with various fuels are analysed. The effects of internal gas recirculation (IEGR) in controlling the auto-ignition timing and the heat release rate in a CAI engine fuelled with different fuels are investigated. The effects of variable valve timings strategy on gas exchange process in CAI engine fuelled with commercial gasoline (95RON) are analysed.

Autoignition characteristics of pre-vaporized iso-octane, primary reference fuels, gasolines, and dimethyl ether (DME) have been investigated experimentally in a coflow with elevated temperature of air. With the coflow air at relatively low initial temperatures below autoignition temperature Tauto, an external ignition source was required to stabilize the flame. Non-autoignited lifted flames had tribrachial edge structures and their liftoff heights correlated well with the jet velocity scaled by the stoichiometric laminar burning velocity, indicating the importance of the edge propagation speed on flame stabilization balanced with local flow velocity. At high initial temperatures over Tauto, the autoignited flames were stabilized without requiring an external ignition source. The autoignited lifted flames exhibited either tribrachial edge structures or Mild combustion behaviors depending on the level of fuel dilution. For the iso-octane and n-heptane fuels, two distinct transition behaviors were observed in the autoignition regime from a nozzle-attached flame to a lifted tribrachial-edge flame and then a sudden transition to lifted Mild combustion as the jet velocity increased at a certain fuel dilution level. The liftoff data of the autoignited flames with tribrachial edges were analyzed based on calculated ignition delay times for the pre-vaporized fuels. Analysis of the experimental data suggested that ignition delay time may be much less sensitive to initial temperature under atmospheric pressure conditions as compared with predictions. For the gasoline fuels for advanced combustion engines (FACEs), and primary reference fuels (PRFs), autoignited liftoff data were correlated with Research Octane Number and Cetane Number. For the DME fuel, planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of formaldehyde (CH2O) and CH* chemiluminescence were visualized qualitatively. In the autoignition regime for both tribrachial structure and mild combustion, formaldehyde were found mainly between the fuel nozzle and the lifted flame edge. On the other hand, they were formed just prior to the flame edge for the non-autoignited lifted flames. The effect of fuel pyrolysis and partial oxidation were found to be important in explaining autoignited liftoff heights, especially in the Mild combustion regime. Flame structures of autoignited flames were investigated numerically for syngas (CO/H2) and methane fuels. The simulations of syngas fuel accounting for the differential diffusion have been performed by adopting several kinetic mechanisms to test the models ability in predicting the flame behaviors observed previously. The results agreed well with the observed nozzle-attached flame characteristics in case of non-autoignited flames. For autoignited lifted flames in high temperature regime, a unique autoignition behavior can be predicted having HO2 and H2O2 radicals in a broad region between the nozzle and stabilized lifted flame edge. Autoignition characteristics of laminar nonpremixed methane jet flames in high- temperature coflow air were studied numerically. Several flame configurations were investigated by varying the initial temperature and fuel mole fraction. Characteristics of chemical kinetics structures for autoignited lifted flames were discussed based on the kinetic structures of homogeneous autoignition and flame propagation of premixed mixtures. Results showed that for autoignited lifted flame with tribrachial structure, a transition from autoignition to flame propagation modes occurs for reasonably stoichiometric mixtures. Characteristics of Mild combustion can be treated as an autoignited lean premixed lifted flame. Transition behavior from Mild combustion to a nozzle-attached flame was also investigated by increasing the fuel mole fraction.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:42:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AnneMichelleGPS.pdf: 4577671 bytes, checksum: 19f54b9da1543ee4a1008ce93d607ec1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-10-04 / Bifunctional catalysts based on zircon oxide modified by tungsten (W = 10, 15 and 20 %) and by molybdenum oxide (Mo= 10, 15 e 20 %) containg platinum (Pt = 1%) were prepared by the polymeric precursor method. For comparison, catalysts the tungsten base was also prepared by the impregnation method. After calcinations at 600, 700 and 800 ?C, the catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. The profile of metals reduction was determined by temperature programmed reduction. The synthesized catalysts were tested in n-heptane isomerization. X-ray diffractogram of the Pt/WOx-ZrO2 and Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts revealed the presence of tetragonal ZrO2 and platinum metallic phases in all calcined samples. Diffraction peaks due WO3 and ZrO2 monoclinic also were observed in some samples of the Pt/WOx-ZrO2 catalysts. In the Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts also were observed diffraction peaks due ZrO2 monoclinic and Zr(MoO4)2 oxide. These phases contained on Pt/WOx-ZrO2 and Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts varied in accordance with the W or Mo loading and in accordance with the calcination temperature. The infrared spectra showed absorption bands due O-W-O and W=O bonds in the Pt/WOx-ZrO2 catalysts and due O-Mo-O, Mo=O and Mo-O bonds in the Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts. Specific surface area for Pt/WOx-ZrO2 catalysts varied from 30-160 m2 g-1 and for the Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts varied from 10-120 m2 g-1. The metals loading (W or Mo) and the calcination temperature influence directly in the specific surface area of the samples. The reduction profile of Pt/WOx-ZrO2 catalysts showed two peaks at lower temperatures, which are attributed to platinum reduction. The reduction of WOx species was evidenced by two reduction peak at high temperatures. In the case of Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts, the reduction profile showed three reduction events, which are attributed to reduction of MoOx species deposited on the support and in some samples one of the peak is related to the reduction of Zr(MoO4)2 oxide. Pt/WOx-ZrO2 catalysts were active in the n-heptane isomerization with high selectivity to 3-methyl-hexane, 2,3- dimethyl-pentane, 2-methyl-hexane among other branched hydrocarbons. The Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 catalysts practically didn't present activity for the n-heptane isomerization, generating mainly products originating from the catalytic cracking / Catalisadores bifuncionais a base de ?xido de zirc?nio modificado por ?xidos de tungst?nio (W = 10, 15 e 20 %) ou molibd?nio (Mo= 10, 15 e 20 %) contendo platina (Pt = 1 %) foram preparados pelo m?todo dos precursores polim?ricos. Por compara??o, catalisadores a base de tungst?nio tamb?m foram preparados pelo m?todo de impregna??o. Ap?s calcina??es a 600, 700 e 800 ?C, os catalisadores foram caracterizados por difra??o de raios-X, espectroscopia de absor??o na regi?o do infravermelho, an?lise termogravim?trica, an?lise t?rmica diferencial, adsor??o de nitrog?nio e microscopia eletr?nica de varredura. Os perfis de redu??o dos metais foram determinados por redu??o a temperatura programada. Os catalisadores sintetizados foram testados na isomeriza??o do n-heptano. Os difratogramas de raios-X dos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 e Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 revelaram a presen?a do ZrO2 tetragonal e da platina met?lica em todas as amostras calcinadas. Picos de difra??o referentes ao WO3 e ao ZrO2 monocl?nico tamb?m foram observados em algumas das amostras dos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2. Nos catalisadores do tipo Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 tamb?m foram observados picos de difra??o referente ao ZrO2 monocl?nico e ao ?xido Zr(MoO4)2. O aparecimento destas outras fases contidas nos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 e Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 variaram de acordo com o teor de W ou Mo e de acordo com a temperatura de calcina??o. Os espectros de absor??o na regi?o do infravermelho exibiram bandas de absor??o referentes as liga??es O-W-O e W=O nos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 e referentes as liga??es O-Mo-O, Mo=O e Mo-O nos catalisadores Pt/MoOx-ZrO2. A ?rea superficial espec?fica dos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 variou de 30-160 m2 g-1 e para os catalisadores do tipo Pt/MoOx-ZrO2 variou de 10-120 m2 g-1. O teor de metais (W ou Mo) e a temperatura de calcina??o exercem uma influ?ncia direta no valor da ?rea superficial espec?fica das amostras. Os perfis de redu??o dos catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 exibiram dois picos a baixas temperaturas, os quais s?o atribu?dos a redu??o da platina. A redu??o das esp?cies WOx foi evidenciada por dois picos de redu??o a altas temperaturas. No caso dos catalisadores Pt/MoOx-ZrO2, os perfis de redu??o mostram tr?s eventos de redu??o, os quais s?o atribu?dos a redu??o das esp?cies MoOx depositadas no suporte e em algumas amostras um dos picos ? relacionado com a redu??o do ?xido Zr(MoO4)2. Os catalisadores Pt/WOx-ZrO2 foram ativos para a isomeriza??o do n-heptano com alta seletividade a 3-metil-hexano, 2,3-dimetil-pentano e 2-metil-hexano entre outros hidrocarbonetos ramificados. Os catalisadores Pt/MoOx- ZrO2 praticamente n?o apresentaram atividade para a isomeriza??o do n-heptano, gerando principalmente produtos oriundos do craqueamento catalitico