Many industrial supported metal catalysts are produced via inorganic precursors, from which the active nanoparticles are formed during heat treatment and reduction. Understanding the formation of these particles and the capability to tune the final particle size, size distribution and the location of the particles is key to improve the stability of these catalysts. Supported copper catalysts obtained by reducing copper phyllosilicates were used to study the effect of particle size distribution on the stability. These copper particles are partially embedded in the plate-like silica matrix, leading to particles less prone to migration over the support [1]. Hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a combination of these gasses were used to reduce the copper silicate to obtain copper nanoparticles on silica [2]. By varying the gas composition during heat treatment, we influenced the particle size distribution (as illustrated in the figure) and in some cases even the average particle size, while the precursor and the final copper loading where the same. This allowed us to study the influence of the particle size distribution on the stability of the catalyst under industrially relevant methanol synthesis conditions. [1] R. van den Berg, J. Zečević, J. Sehested, S. Helveg, P.E. de Jongh, and K.P. de Jong, Catal. Today 2015. [2] C.J.G. van der Grift, P.A. Elberse, A. Mulder, and J.W. Geus, Appl. Catal. 59 (1990) 275.

Cu/SiO2 catalysts: Influence of reduction on particle size and stability

251st National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.