Promotion effects on the synthesis of higher alcohols. Fourth quarterly report, June 1983-August 1983

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5632890

Goodwin, Jr, J G; Chuang, S C

Zn has been known as an essential element for the methanol synthesis. Although the role of Zn in the synthesis of alcohols is still not clearly elucidated, the use of Zn-promoted catalysts may provide information permitting a better understanding of the role of Zn in CO hydrocondensation. It is therefore worthwhile to compare the effect of alkali promotion in to that by Zn. The effect of alkali promotion of Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) catalysts is well known. In general, upon promotion there is an increase in Co dissociation and hydrocarbon chain growth and a decrease in CH/sub 4/ selectivity. In the case of supported metals, such promotion has been found to be directly related to the alkali species-metal interaction and does not require support-metal interactions. Surface science investigations of alkali metal atoms on transition metal surfaces have shown the presence of a transfer of charge from the alkali atoms to the metal surface atoms. Recently, an ESCA study of alkali-promoted Ru/SiO/sub 2/ demonstrated the apparent increase in valence electron density in Ru, even though promotion was by K/sup +/ and Na/sup +/ species. The use and effect of other promotes on F-T synthesis have not been studied extensively. Recent results have shown Ru supported on La/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and ZnO to have interesting properties with respect to F-T synthesis. These properties were high olefin and low methane selectivities compared to Ru on a large number of other supports. Such catalysts, however, have a number of disadvantages. Ru/ZnO has a very low activity, while ZnO and La/sub 2/O/sub 3/ have very low surface areas (10 to 30 m/sup 2//g) compared to SiO/sub 2/ or Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. An investigation was carried out to determine the properties for F-T synthesis of La- and Zn- promoted Ru/SiO/sub 2/ and to compare these properties to those of Ru/La/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and Ru/ZnO.

• Research Organization: Pittsburgh Univ., PA (USA). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-82PC50810
• OSTI ID: 5632890
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/50810-T4; ON: DE84000618
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090221* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
ALKALI METALS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
LANTHANUM OXIDES
METALS
METHANOL
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM METALS
PROMOTERS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
RUTHENIUM
SPECIFICITY
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES