A comparative study of oxidation of methanol on -Al2O3 supported group IB metal catalysts

✍ Scribed by M.J. Lippits; R.R.H. Boer Iwema; B.E. Nieuwenhuys

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 570 KB
• Volume: 145
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0920-5861
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2008.07.018

✦ Synopsis

Results are presented concerning the behavior of alumina supported Cu, Ag and Au (M) catalysts and the effect of addition of Li 2 O and CeO x on the dehydrogenation and oxidation of methanol. The g-Al 2 O 3 used is able to dehydrogenate methanol to formaldehyde and the addition of a metal to the support increases the CO production. A two-step reaction mechanism is proposed: in the first step, CH 3 OH is dehydrogenated on alumina to formaldehyde; in the second step, the formaldehyde reacts on M to CO or CO 2 . Another mechanism is proposed for good oxidizing catalysts: methanol reacts directly on M and is oxidized to CO 2 . The addition of the co-catalyst CeO x to the catalysts has a beneficial effect on the oxidation of methanol to CO 2 because of its ability to provide oxygen. We suggest that Li 2 O blocks the adsorption site for methanol on alumina, and hence, decreasing the formation of formaldehyde.