High Pressure CO Hydrogenation Over Bimetallic Pt–Co Catalysts

Abstract

The potential of bimetallic Pt–Co catalysts for production of higher alcohols in high pressure CO hydrogenation has been assessed. Two catalysts (Pt3Co/SiO2 and PtCo/SiO2) were tested, and the existing literature on CO hydrogenation over Pt–Co catalysts was reviewed. It is found that the catalysts produce mainly methanol in the Pt-rich composition range and mainly hydrocarbons (and to a modest extent higher alcohols) in the Co-rich composition range. The transition between the two types of behavior occurs in a narrow composition range around a molar Pt:Co ratio of 1:1.