CO HYDROGENATION ON CR2O3-PROMOTED COPPER-CATALYSTS

The promotion effect of Cr2O3 on copper catalysts has been studied on Cu/Cr2O3, Cu/Cr/SiO2, and Cu/SiO2 catalysts. CO hydrogenation reaction was applied as a probe to test the activity of the catalysts. The activities of Cu/Cr2O3 catalysts for CO hydrogenation are highly dependent on the variations of the particle size of the supported copper and the temperature of reduction treatments. Cu/Cr/SiO2 catalysts have similar behavior as the Cu/Cr2O3 catalysts. SiO2-supported copper catalysts are insensitive to the change of pretreatment conditions of the catalysts and the amounts of copper loading on the support. The origin of the promotion ability of Cr2O3 on copper catalysts was discussed on the basis of an electronic interaction model.