Synthesis of higher alcohols over promoted copper catalysts
A series of copper catalysts, promoted with 0.5% K/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, was prepared and tested for thermal stability by measuring the surface area after successive 20-h treatments in flowing hydrogen at 250, 275, 300, and 325/sup 0/C. Four of these catalysts and a commercial CuO/ZnO/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalyst were tested for activity and selectivity in the synthesis of higher alcohols from a 1H/sub 2/ + 2CO synthesis gas at 10.5 MPa and 285 to 325/sup 0/C. Two of these catalysts, CuO/ZnO/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and CuO/ZnO/ThO/sub 2/, had about the same initial activity as the commercial preparation. Catalysts which did not contain ZnO, namely, CuO/TiO/sub 2/ and CuO/ThO/sub 2/, were relatively inactive. The CuO/ZnO/ThO/sub 2/ and commercial catalysts lost activity and surface area at 325/sup 0/C, while the activity and surface area of the CuO/ZnO/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalyst remained constant during 60 h onstream at the same temperature. The major alcohol products were methanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, ethanol, and n-propanol and the selectivity to higher alcohols increased with increasing temperature. The C/sub 4/ alcohol selectivities of the catalysts containing ThO/sub 2/ at 325/sup 0/C were significantly larger than those of the other catalysts. The similar selectivities of these catalysts despite the marked difference in their activities suggests that ThO/sub 2/ promotes the production of higher alcohols.
- Research Organization:
- McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario
- OSTI ID:
- 5456672
- Journal Information:
- J. Catal.; (United States), Vol. 104:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
COPPER OXIDES
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
ETHANOL
SYNTHESIS
METHANOL
POTASSIUM CARBONATES
PROPANOLS
ZINC OXIDES
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYST SUPPORTS
CATALYTIC REFORMING
CHROMIUM OXIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEACTIVATION
HYDROGEN
SURFACE AREA
SYNTHESIS GAS
THORIUM OXIDES
TITANIUM OXIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALCOHOLS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM COMPOUNDS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
REFORMER PROCESSES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
010408* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- C1 Processes- (1987-)
090221 - Alcohol Fuels- Chemical Synthesis- (1976-1989)