Novel approaches to the production of higher alcohols from synthesis gas. Quarterly technical progress report No. 10, January 1, 1993--March 31, 1993
Research continued on the conversion of syngas to alcohols. This quarter, under Task 2, catalyst analyses suggest that deactivation due to poisoning by iron and nickel carbonyls was probably responsible for poor methanol production during the first MeOH synthesis verification run in December, 1992. Under Task 3, the promoting effect of rhenium (Re) on rhodium (Rh)/alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) higher oxygenate synthesis (HAS) catalysts was studied. All of these catalysts contained a nominal 1 wt % Rh. Some of the Rh/Re/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalysts were more selective for CO conversion to oxygenates than any of the catalysts previously studied. Both the syngas conversion and the oxygenate selectivity increased as the Re content was increased to 12 wt. %. This concentration roughly corresponds to the amount required to cover an alumina surface area of 170 m{sup 2}/g with a monolayer of Re{sub 2}O{sub 7}. The 1 wt %Rh/l2wt % Re/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst had a carbon efficiency to oxygenates of 58%. However, the CO conversion was less than 1%. Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) analysis showed that when [Rh{sub 4}(CO){sub 12}] is adsorbed onto Re/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, small Rh particles with a coordination number less than three are formed. Major growth of Rh particles is observed with a ``plain`` Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} support. The use of a silica support was also investigated.
- Research Organization:
- North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC22-90PC90043
- OSTI ID:
- 10177926
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/PC/90043-T11; ON: DE93040515
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 18 Jun 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Novel approaches to the production of higher alcohols from synthesis gas
Novel approaches to the production of higher alcohols from synthesis gas. Quarterly Technical progress report No. 8, July 1, 1992--September 30, 1992