Hybridizing silica and Cu3(BTC)2 to synthesize copper containing catalysts for ethanol conversion

Abstract

In the present study, the catalytic conversion of ethanol over three different CuO-based solid acid catalysts including CuO-SiO2, CuO-MgO-SiO2 and CuO-MgO was investigated. The effects of catalyst properties on the catalytic performances were determined using multiple characterization techniques. The catalytic conversion reaction of ethanol was carried out at relatively low reaction temperature 250–350 °C. Data revealed that the ethanol converted products are ethylene and diethyl ether, means that the prepared catalysts possessed ethanol dehydration ability rather than ethanol dehydrogenation reaction into butadiene. All the prepared catalysts exhibited higher ethanol conversion with the increase in reaction temperatures. Diethyl ether (DEE) was found to be major product at low temperatures (up to 275 °C) for all catalysts, whereas, ethylene is the major one at the high reaction temperatures (up to 350 °C). Among all prepared catalysts, CuO-MgO sample attained the highest ethanol conversion with ethylene yield of 80 % at 350 °C. Such significant catalytic activity of the CuO-MgO solid acid catalyst mainly attributed to the largest amount of strong acid sites and superior specific surface area parameters, supposing that the catalyst can be preferred as a promising catalyst for the production of ethylene and DEE from ethanol, which is considered a cleaner technology.