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Cu–Mn–Al based catalyst for the direct syngas to dimethyl ether conversion

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Abstract

Cu–Mn–Al mixed oxides were prepared by calcination of carbonate layered double hydroxides. Four materials were prepared with nominal Cu/Mn ratios in the 0.5–2.0 range and 0.19 nominal Al atom fraction relative to metal ions. Reduction of the oxide precursors was followed by in situ X-ray absorption and X-ray diffraction and showed that copper was totally reduced, and manganese reduced mainly to Mn2+. Copper metal surface area by N2O decomposition after in situ reduction showed that the dispersion increased with decreasing copper content in Mn–Cu–Al catalysts. In methanol synthesis from syngas, the methanol productivity and selectivity achieved values up to 35 mol kg−1 h−1 and 94% with Cu–Mn–Al catalysts. In the direct syngas to DME reaction, using γ-alumina as the methanol dehydration component, the productivity of the Cu–Mn–Al catalyst with 0.5 Cu/Mn ratio stood-out from that of the remaining catalysts.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the XRD at IQ-UFRJ for sample analysis. To the Laboratório de Petróleo e Meio Ambiente (LCPMA) at UERJ for making available the equipment to perform the TPR and N2O decomposition measurements. We acknowledge LNLS (Campinas, Brazil) for provision of synchrotron radiation facilities for XAS measurements at XAFS2 beamline (Project 20190122) and XRD measurements at XPD (Project 20190118) beamline. The authors also thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq (Grant 426600/2018-5) Brazil, for the financial support. ACFJ thanks CNPq for a productivity research scholarship. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior-Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. HB thanks CAPES for a D.Sc. scholarship.

Funding

Funding was provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Grant No. 426600/2018-5), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Grant No. 001).

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  1. Retired: Arnaldo Faro.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Catálise Heterogênea, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos, 149–302/A, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21941-909, Brazil

    Humberto Blanco, Victor Rodrigues & Arnaldo Faro Jr.

  2. Instituto de Química, Universidade do Estado de Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 20550-900, Brazil

    Luz A. Palacio

  3. Instituto Colombiano del Petróleo, Ecopetrol, Piedecuesta, código postal 681011, Santander, Colombia

    Humberto Blanco

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Blanco, H., Palacio, L.A., Rodrigues, V. et al. Cu–Mn–Al based catalyst for the direct syngas to dimethyl ether conversion. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 137, 913–934 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-024-02581-6

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