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Preparation of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst under microwave irradiation for slurry methanol synthesis

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Abstract

Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts with Cu/Zn/Al ratios of 6/3/1 were precipitated and aged by conventional and microwave heating methods and tested in the slurry phase reactor for methanol synthesis. The effect of technological condition of precipitation and aging process under microwave irradiation on the catalytic performance was investigated to optimize the preparing condition of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst. The results showed that the microwave irradiation during precipitation process could improve the activity of the catalyst, but had little effect on the stability. While the microwave irradiation during aging process has a great benefit to both the activity and stability of the catalyst, the catalyst aged at 80°C for 1 h under microwave irradiation possessed higher methanol space time yield (STY) and more stable catalytic activity. The activity and stability of the catalyst was further enhanced when microwave irradiation was used in both precipitation and aging processes; the optimized condition for the catalyst precursor preparation was precipitation at 60°C and aging at 80°C under microwave irradiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Coal Science and Technology (Ministry of Education and Shanxi Province), Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Hui Fan, Huayan Zheng & Zhong Li

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  1. Hui Fan
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  2. Huayan Zheng
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  3. Zhong Li
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Correspondence to Zhong Li.

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Fan, H., Zheng, H. & Li, Z. Preparation of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst under microwave irradiation for slurry methanol synthesis. Front. Chem. Eng. China 4, 445–451 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-010-0521-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-010-0521-x

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