Abstract
The hydrogenation of carbon monoxide over Au/ZnO catalysts has been re-examined and new data is presented on the way in which the product distribution can be manipulated by choice of coadded solids such as alumina or zeolite-Y. This comparative study reveals that while ZnO itself leads to a high selectivity to methanol, the incorporation of gold drastically alters the product spectrum and leads to a very high selectivity to hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon selectivity at a reaction temperature of 300oC is in fact much higher than in the case where alumina or zeolite-Y is introduced into a composite catalyst comprising the Au/ZnO and the acidic solid. In the latter case DME is a major product. Significant light hydrocarbon formation on gold-based systems under these circumstances appears not to have been discussed before. The reactions taking place on these catalysts, the selectivities and absolute activities are discussed and the role of gold highlighted.
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Professor Graham Hutchings is a research professor in the School of Chemistry at Cardiff University. His research interests concern heterogeneous catalysis with a particular emphasis on catalysis by gold.
Professor Mike Scurrell is Professor of Physical Chemistry and Director of the Molecular Sciences Institute in the School of Chemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand. He conducts research in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, with current emphasis on catalysis by gold and catalysis in energy conversion.
Prof. Diane Hildebrandt is Unilever Professor of Reaction Engineering, and is a Director of COMPS (Centre of Material and Process Synthesis) at the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Her postgraduate research groups work in the fields of distillation, bio-medical, attainable regions, process synthesis, industrial wastewater, catalysis and biotechnology.
David Glasser is Professor of Chemical Engineering, and is the Director of COMPS (Centre of Material and Process Synthesis) at the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Research activities include distillation, bio-medical, attainable regions, process synthesis, industrial wastewater, catalysis and biotechnology.
Arthur Mpela has just completed his PhD degree and is now lecturing in the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersand, Johannesburg.
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Mpela, A., Hildebrandt, D., Glasser, D. et al. Low-pressure methanol/ dimethylether synthesis from syngas on gold-based catalysts. Gold Bull 40, 219–224 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03215584
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03215584