RELATION BETWEEN PREPARATION, POROSITY AND SELECTIVITY OF CUO-ZNO-MEOX CATALYSTS IN THE SYNTHESIS OF ALCOHOL MIXTURES

Some relations between the preparation of modified CuO-ZnO catalysts, their structural properties and their catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide have been demonstrated. The different activities in the formation of higher alcohols have been attributed to an influence of the porosity on chain growth. The coupling or insertion of C1 intermediates seems to be favoured by an increasing surface coverage with C1 intermediates due to a transport limitation of methanol production. The pore size distribution of the catalysts has been varied by different calcination, thermal ageing, CuO/ZnO ratios, the method of promoting with Al2O3 and pelleting.