Controlling Size and Morphology of Copper and Copper-Nickel Nanoparticles Supported on Porous Silica for Catalytic Ethanol Dehydrogenation
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Controlling size and morphology of copper and copper-nickel nanoparticles supported on porous silica for catalytic ethanol dehydrogenation In heterogeneous catalysis, unique nanoparticles’ properties, especially a high percentage of surface atoms, are highly desired. Copper nanoparticles are active in (bio)ethanol dehydrogenation producing acetaldehyde. This catalytic reaction presents the first step in 1,3-butadiene production from ethanol and could become a sustainable substitution for current acetaldehyde and butadiene production (based on oil refinement). This research project deals with various copper and copper-nickel silica-supported nanoparticles synthesized by different methods: solvothermal hot-injection, dry impregnation, electrostatic impregnation, hydrolytic and non-hydrolytic sol-gel. Various synthetic methods offer metal nanoparticles with different morphologies, sizes (from atomic dispersion to 20 nm), and particle size distributions. Several techniques were used to study these catalysts: scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron dispersive spectroscopy, nitrogen porosimetry, thermogravimetry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of prepared catalysts was tested in the ethanol dehydrogenation in a gas-phase fixed-bed catalytic reactor. Light-off catalyst curves were established from 180 °C to 290 °C; stability with time-on-stream was tested at 325 °C for 10 hours. Copper nanoparticles are highly active and selective in the desired reaction (up to 89 % ethanol conversion at 250 °C) but suffer from coking and particle sintering, hampering their long-term stability. Nickel addition enhanced low-temperature catalyst performance. However, the catalyst’s stability needs to be further improved. The work has been financially supported by the Czech Science Foundation under the project GJ20-03636Y. |
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