Title:
Support Effects on Ethanol Dehydrogenation over Cu Catalysts
Abstract:
Ethanol (EtOH) dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde (Acet-H) has been widely studied over oxide supported Cu catalysts as a reaction pathway that can provide a sustainable alternative to the current industrial process that uses ethylene as a feedstock for fuel. The rates and selectivity for Acet-H formation have been shown to be dependent on Cu particle size, reaction conditions, and the catalyst support. Specifically, it has been argued that Acet-H production occurs exclusively over Cu0 sites, whereas other products such as diethyl ether, ethylene, and ethyl acetate form over the support or metal-support interface. Here, we will discuss how the nature of the oxide support influences Acet-H formation on Cu0 sites. A combination of N2O titration experiments, CO probe molecule IR, in-situ IR, and reactivity measurements under strict kinetic control are used to provide mechanistic insights into the support effects on Acet-H production with a specific focus on comparative turnover frequency measurements, mechanistic interrogation, and stability analysis.
See more of this Group/Topical: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division