Preparation and characterization of nonmetal promoter modified CuZnAl catalysts for higher alcohol from synthesis gas through complete liquid phase method

A complete liquid phase technology and a function regulator were applied to prepare CuZnAl catalysts for higher alcohol synthesis. Characterizations showed that the introduction of the function regulator can change the reduction ability of copper oxides and the surface basicity of catalysts. Activity tests indicated that the selectivity of higher alcohol is high when considerable medium-strong basicity and the synergistic effects of copper ion and metal copper exist on the catalytic surface. The optimized modified CuZnAl catalyst without any metal additives provides a CO conversion of 28.9%, C 2+ OH selectivity of up to 42.8%, and hydrocarbon selectivity of 2.5%, with a total alcohol selectivity of 67.4% under the reaction conditions of 5.0 MPa, 250 °C, H 2 /CO =1, and a gas hourly space velocity of 360 mL/g cat h.