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Title: Methanol and methyl fuel catalysts. Quarterly report, March-May 1979

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5996719· OSTI ID:5996719

Additional preparations of CuO/ZnO catalysts have been made, and the materials have been examined by x-ray powder diffraction. A series of cerium(IV) containing catalysts have been prepared, and it was shown that the CuO/ZnO/CeO/sub 2/ = 25/65/10 wt % catalyst precursor contained the copper in the form of (Cu,Zn)/sub 2/(OH)/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, analogous to the binary Cu/Zn = 30/70 sample. Calcination of this material, as well as of a binary ZnO/CeO/sub 2/ = 87/13 sample, yielded oxides having small crystallite sizes (< 135 A). The reduced binary Cu/Zn catalysts were examined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and by x-ray powder diffraction. It was observed that the amount of noncrystalline copper assayed by x-ray diffraction correlated well with that found dissolved in the zinc oxide phase by an earlier scanning transmission electron microscopy study. The relationship between the optical parameters, such as the emergence of the high intensity visible absorption and the loss of the fundamental absorption edge of the zinc oxide, and the existence of the copper-zinc oxide solid solution were established. These results further demonstrate that those catalysts in which the amount of copper dissolved in the zinc oxide is at a maximum are the most active for methanol synthesis.

Research Organization:
Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (USA). Center for Surface and Coatings Research
DOE Contract Number:
ET-78-S-01-3177
OSTI ID:
5996719
Report Number(s):
FE-3177-3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English