Investigation of Active Center of Cu‐Based Catalyst for Low Temperature Methanol Synthesis from Syngas in Liquid Phase: The Contribution of Cu+ and Cu0

Abstract

AbstractLaCuMn catalyst was prepared under different reduction temperature and passivation time, and used to catalyze CO hydrogenation to methanol in liquid phase. The effect of reductive copper species on the catalytic activity and the product distribution was studied. The results showed that the surface content of reductive copper species greatly affect the catalytic activity and the approximate molar ratio of Cu+ to Cu0 was important. The mixture of CuZn/AC‐N2 with only Cu+ and CuZn/AC‐H2 with only Cu0 was utilized for the low temperature methanol synthesis from syngas in liquid phase. It was confirmed that both of the reductive copper species of Cu+ and Cu0 were active species and Cu+ was superior to Cu0. Moreover, the synergic function of Cu+ and Cu0 led to the enhancement of the catalytic activity of Cu based catalyst, and the optimum molar ratio of surface Cu+ to Cu0 was in the range of 3.5 to 4.0.