Abstract
To reduce resistances of interphase and intraparticle mass transfer in an aqueous solution, water-repellent catalysts were prepared by spraying polytetrafluoroethylene (abbreviated as PTFE) on activated carbon. Oxidation of sulfur dioxide on activated carbon in the presence of water was chosen to elucidate the effect of water-repellent catalysts on the performances of gas-liquid cocurrent upflow and downflow reactors. The reaction rate increases and reaches a maximum with the increase in PTFE loading. The enhancement of reaction rate by PTFE may be explained by the decrease of partial wetting on the surface