Role of the Cu–Co alloy and cobalt carbide in higher alcohol synthesis

Abstract

Formation and decomposition of the Cu–Co alloy and Co 2C were studied using in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), TG-DTA and TEM techniques. Cu–Co alloy with ratio Cu/Co=1:1 has been obtained under treatment of CuCoO 2 with hydrogen at 230–300°C. Co 2C was formed from Cu–Co alloy at 280–310°C and decomposed at 390–400°C under CO. It was shown that the role of Cu–Co alloy consisted in formation of cobalt carbide was able to activate CO undissociatively that led to oxygenates synthesis.