Following the structure of copper-zinc-alumina across the pressure gap in carbon dioxide hydrogenation
Abstract
Copper-zinc-alumina catalysts are used industrially for methanol synthesis from feedstock containing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The high performance of the catalyst stems from synergies that develop between its components. This important catalytic system has been investigated with a myriad of approaches, however, no comprehensive agreement on the fundamental source of its high activity has been reached. One potential source of disagreement is the considerable variation in pressure used in studies to understand a process that is performed industrially at pressures above 20 bar. Here, by systematically studying the catalyst state during temperature-programmed reduction and under carbon dioxide hydrogenation with in situ and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy over four orders of magnitude in pressure, we show how the state and evolution of the catalyst is defined by its environment. The structure of the catalyst shows a strong pressure dependence, especially below 1 bar. As pressure gaps are a general problem in catalysis, these observations have wide-ranging ramifications. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Nature CatalysisVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
NatureSubject
Chemical engineering; Heterogeneous catalysisOrganisational unit
02891 - ScopeM / ScopeM
03746 - Van Bokhoven, Jeroen A. / Van Bokhoven, Jeroen A.
Funding
178943 - Catalyst structures in three dimensions (SNF)
181053 - Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Dynamik von Metall- Träger Wechselwirkungen unter katalytisch Relevanten Bedingungen (SNF)
More
Show all metadata