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Adsorption and Deactivation Characteristics of Cu/ZnO-Based Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis from Carbon Dioxide

Journal Article · · Topics in Catalysis
The adsorption and deactivation characteristics of coprecipitated Cu/ZnO-based catalysts were examined and correlated to their performance in methanol synthesis from CO₂ hydrogenation. The addition of Ga₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ promoters is shown to increase the Cu surface area and CO₂/H₂ adsorption capacities of the catalysts and enhance methanol synthesis activity. Infrared studies showed that CO₂ adsorbs spontaneously on these catalysts at room temperature as both monoand bi-dentate carbonate species. These weakly bound species desorb completely from the catalyst surface by 200 °C while other carbonate species persist up to 500 °C. Characterization using N₂O decomposition, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis clearly indicated that Cu sintering is the main cause of catalyst deactivation. Ga and Y promotion improves the catalyst stability by suppressing the agglomeration of Cu and ZnO particles under pretreatment and reaction conditions.
Research Organization:
National Energy Technology Laboratory - In-house Research; National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
DOE Contract Number:
FE0004000
OSTI ID:
1127211
Report Number(s):
UNIV-PUB-53
Journal Information:
Topics in Catalysis, Journal Name: Topics in Catalysis Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 56; ISSN 1022-5528
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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