Supported Intermetallic PdZn Nanoparticles as Bifunctional Catalysts for the Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether from CO-Rich Synthesis Gas.

ABSTRACT: The single-step syngas-to-dimethyl ether (STD) process entails economic and technical advantages over the current industrial two-step process. Pd/ZnO-based catalysts have recently emerged as interesting alternatives to currently used Cu/ZnO/Al2 O3 catalysts, but the nature of the active site(s), the reaction mechanism, and the role of Pd and ZnO in the solid catalyst are not well established. Now, Zn-stabilized Pd colloids with a size of 2?nm served as the key building blocks for the methanol active component in bifunctional Pd/ZnO-?-Al2 O3 catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by combining high-pressure operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and DFT calculations. The enhanced stability, longevity, and high dimethyl ether selectivity observed makes Pd/ZnO-?-Al2 O3 an effective alternative system for the STD process compared to Cu/ZnO/?-Al2 O3 .

SUBMITTER: Gentzen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6856832 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature