Catalyst element and use thereof

1 . A catalyst element, comprising:

a porous housing;

a filter core disposed within the housing; and

a filler material comprising a catalyst particle, a redox particle, an oxidizing particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing particles, wherein the filler material is disposed within the housing;

wherein the catalyst element comprises a plurality of tortuous flow paths, through which a reactive mixture may flow and contact at least a portion of each of the housing, filter core, and filler material.

2 . The catalyst element of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst particle comprises a reactive species disposed on a surface of at least a portion of a support, and wherein the reactive species is in fluid communication with the plurality of tortuous flow paths.

3 . The catalyst element of claim 2 , wherein the reactive species comprises a metal or metal oxide comprising an element of Groups 3-10 and 14 of a Periodic Table of Elements.

4 . The catalyst element of claim 3 , wherein the reactive species comprises a precious metal.

5 . The catalyst element of claim 4 , wherein the reactive species further comprises a non-precious metal.

6 . The catalyst element of claim 5 , wherein a molar ratio of the precious metal to the non-precious metal is about 0.3:1 to about 100:1.

7 . The catalyst element of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst particle further comprises a promoter, wherein the promoter is a different material or composition than the reactive species.

8 . The catalyst element of claim 7 , wherein the promoter is in fluid communication with the plurality of tortuous flow paths.

9 . The catalyst element of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst particle further comprises an ion exchange material, wherein the ion exchange material is different from the support.

10 . The catalyst element of claim 9 , wherein the ion exchange material is in fluid communication with the plurality of tortuous flow paths.

11 . The catalyst element of claim 1 , wherein the redox particle comprises a manganese dioxide-based mineral, copper-zinc alloy, iron hydroxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

12 . The catalyst element of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing particle comprises a halogen source, chalcogen source, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

13 . A catalyst element, comprising:

a porous cylindrical housing, wherein an end of the porous cylindrical housing is capped;

a cylindrical filter core disposed within the housing; and

a filler material comprising a catalyst particle, a redox particle, an oxidizing particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing particles, wherein the filler material is disposed within the housing;

wherein the catalyst element comprises a plurality of tortuous flow paths, through which a reactive mixture may radially flow and contact at least a portion of each of the housing, filter core, and filler material.

14 . The catalyst element of claim 13 , wherein the catalyst particle comprises a reactive species disposed on a surface of at least a portion of a support, and wherein the reactive species is in fluid communication with the plurality of tortuous flow paths.

15 . The catalyst element of claim 14 , wherein the catalyst particle further comprises a promoter, an ion exchange material, or both, wherein the promoter is a different material or composition than the reactive species, and wherein the ion exchange material is different from the support.

16 . The catalyst element of claim 13 , wherein the redox particle comprises a manganese dioxide-based mineral, copper-zinc alloy, iron hydroxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

17 . The catalyst element of claim 13 , wherein the oxidizing particle comprises a halogen source, chalcogen source, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

18 . A method for catalyzing a chemical process, comprising:

flowing a reaction mixture through a catalyst element, wherein the catalyst element comprises a porous housing; a filter core disposed within the housing; and a filler material comprising a catalyst particle, a redox particle, an oxidizing particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing particles, wherein the filler material is disposed within the housing; wherein the catalyst element comprises a plurality of tortuous flow paths, through which the reactive mixture flows; and

increasing a reaction rate for the reaction mixture to produce a product.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the chemical process comprises hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, oxidation, reduction, alkylation, dealkylation, carbonylation, decarbonylation, coupling, isomerization, amination, deamination, or hydrodehalogenation.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the chemical process comprises oxidative production of a halogen oxide from an alkali metal halite solution.

21 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising simultaneously filtering the reaction mixture with the catalyst element.

22 . A method for producing chlorine dioxide, comprising:

flowing an aqueous solution of chlorous acid into a catalyst element, wherein the catalyst element comprises a porous housing; a filter core disposed within the housing; and a filler material comprising a catalyst particle, a redox particle, an oxidizing particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing particles, wherein the filler material is disposed within the housing; wherein the catalyst element comprises a plurality of tortuous flow paths, through which the aqueous solution of chlorous acid flows; and

contacting the aqueous solution of chlorous acid with the filler material to form chlorine dioxide in the aqueous solution.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising filtering the aqueous solution of chlorous acid with at least the filter core of the catalyst element.