DEVELOPMENT OF RANEY-TYPE LOW TEMPERATURE METHANOL SYNTHESIS CATALYSTS†

Abstract

Catalysts prepared by caustic leaching of Cu—Zn—Al alloys are shown to have activities greater than those of a commercial copper-based catalyst. Complete leaching of alloys containing 50 wt.% aluminium, with between 0 and 50 wt.% copper, and the balance zinc produced catalysts having a wide range of activities. The most active catalysts for methanol production were produced from alloys containing from 10 to 20 wt.% zinc. The activities of catalysts prepared by the partial leaching of an alloy containing approximately 36% copper, 15% zinc and 48% aluminium were shown to pass through a maximum at a leaching time of 2.75 hours. This catalyst had more than double the activity of a commercial catalyst al reaction conditions similar to those employed industrially.