Visualizing Structural and Chemical Transformations of an Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Pre‐catalyst during Activation and CO2 Reduction. Issue 24 (27th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Xing; Beck, Arik; Fedorov, Alexey; Frey, Hannes; Zhang, Bingsen; Klötzer, Bernhard; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A.; Copéret, Christophe; Willinger, Marc‐Georg
• Is Part Of: ChemCatChem. Volume 14:Issue 24(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-11-27
• Subjects: active state -- industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst -- in situ TEM -- materials gap -- structural/chemical transformations; Catalysis -- Periodicals; 541.39505
• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202201280
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1867-3880

Abstract

Abstract: The typical industrial catalyst used for methanol synthesis is a multi‐component catalyst based on Cu/ZnO/Al2 O3 . The synergies between various phases of this catalyst play a vital role in defining the overall catalytic function and performance. To gain insights into the role and interaction between the relevant components and phases, ex situ and in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was deployed to investigate the structures and phases of an industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2 O3 in its precursor, activated and reaction states. High structural inhomogeneity in this material is revealed, i. e . the presence of various phases with different morphologies and compositions. It is shown how structural and compositional changes occur during hydrogen treatment and how compositional inhomogeneity in the starting material translates into differences in the local composition of the activated and working catalyst. The formation of defective metallic copper particles (stacking faults and twins) that are in an intimate contact with zinc oxide (poorly crystalline, partially reduced ZnO x and crystalline ZnO), alumina, Zn−Al oxide and carbon‐zinc‐oxygen containing phases (such as zinc formate) is observed. It is also uncovered that alumina plays a potentially important role in stabilizing cationic zinc species. This work provides atomic‐level insight into the relevant state of an industrial methanol synthesis catalyst and the associated synergistic interplay between the involved phases in reactive atmosphere. Abstract : CO2 Reduction : This work combines both ex situ and in situ TEM to investigate the structure and composition of an industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2 O3 pre‐catalyst as well as the dynamic changes during reductive activation and catalytic reaction, providing atomic‐level insights into the state of an industrial methanol synthesis catalyst and the associated synergistic interplay between the involved components and phases in reactive atmosphere.