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Title: A Theoretical Study of Methanol Oxidation on RuO2(110): Bridging the Pressure Gap

Abstract

Partial oxidation catalysis is often fraught with selectivity problems, largely because there is a tendency of oxidation products to be more reactive than the starting material. One industrial process that has successfully overcome this problem is partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. This process has become a global success, with an annual production of 30 million tons. Although ruthenium catalysts have not shown activity as high as the current molybdena or silver-based industrial standards, the study of ruthenium systems has the potential to elucidate which catalyst properties facilitate the desired partial oxidation reaction as opposed to deep combustion due to a pressure-dependent selectivity “switch” that has been observed in ruthenium-based catalysts. In this work, we find that we are able to successfully rationalize this “pressure gap” using near-ab initio steady-state microkinetic modeling on RuO2(110). We obtain molecular desorption prefactors from experiment and determine all other energetics using density functional theory. We show that, under ambient pressure conditions, formaldehyde production is favored on RuO2(110), whereas under ultrahigh vacuum pressure conditions, full combustion to CO2 takes place. We glean from our model several insights regarding how coverage effects, oxygen activity, and rate-determining steps influence selectivity and activity. As a result, we believemore » the understanding gained in this work might advise and inspire the greater partial oxidation community and be applied to other catalytic processes which have not yet found industrial success.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]
  1. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)
  2. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1390312
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-76SF00515; 32 CFR 168a
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
ACS Catalysis
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2155-5435
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; density functional theory; formaldehyde; methanol; pressure gap; ruthenium; selective oxidation

Citation Formats

Latimer, Allegra A., Abild-Pedersen, Frank, and Norskov, Jens K. A Theoretical Study of Methanol Oxidation on RuO2(110): Bridging the Pressure Gap. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1021/acscatal.7b01417.
Latimer, Allegra A., Abild-Pedersen, Frank, & Norskov, Jens K. A Theoretical Study of Methanol Oxidation on RuO2(110): Bridging the Pressure Gap. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.7b01417
Latimer, Allegra A., Abild-Pedersen, Frank, and Norskov, Jens K. 2017. "A Theoretical Study of Methanol Oxidation on RuO2(110): Bridging the Pressure Gap". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.7b01417. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1390312.
@article{osti_1390312,
title = {A Theoretical Study of Methanol Oxidation on RuO2(110): Bridging the Pressure Gap},
author = {Latimer, Allegra A. and Abild-Pedersen, Frank and Norskov, Jens K.},
abstractNote = {Partial oxidation catalysis is often fraught with selectivity problems, largely because there is a tendency of oxidation products to be more reactive than the starting material. One industrial process that has successfully overcome this problem is partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. This process has become a global success, with an annual production of 30 million tons. Although ruthenium catalysts have not shown activity as high as the current molybdena or silver-based industrial standards, the study of ruthenium systems has the potential to elucidate which catalyst properties facilitate the desired partial oxidation reaction as opposed to deep combustion due to a pressure-dependent selectivity “switch” that has been observed in ruthenium-based catalysts. In this work, we find that we are able to successfully rationalize this “pressure gap” using near-ab initio steady-state microkinetic modeling on RuO2(110). We obtain molecular desorption prefactors from experiment and determine all other energetics using density functional theory. We show that, under ambient pressure conditions, formaldehyde production is favored on RuO2(110), whereas under ultrahigh vacuum pressure conditions, full combustion to CO2 takes place. We glean from our model several insights regarding how coverage effects, oxygen activity, and rate-determining steps influence selectivity and activity. As a result, we believe the understanding gained in this work might advise and inspire the greater partial oxidation community and be applied to other catalytic processes which have not yet found industrial success.},
doi = {10.1021/acscatal.7b01417},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1390312}, journal = {ACS Catalysis},
issn = {2155-5435},
number = 7,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Fri May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Cited by: 4 works
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Works referencing / citing this record:

Integrated feasibility experimental investigation of hydrodynamic, geometrical and, operational characterization of methanol conversion to formaldehyde
journal, March 2019