PHASES IN THE ACTIVE LIQUID PHASE METHANOL SYNTHESIS CATALYST

Abstract

ABSTRACT An attempt has been made to identify the phases present in the active catalyst for liquid phase methanol synthesis. X-ray powder diffraction was used to identify the phases. Only metallic Cu was detected, while no Cu species was found to be present. A significant amount of ZnCO3 was found to be present in catalysts which had been subjected to high partial pressures of C02. This fact has hitherto not been reported in literature. Some speculations about the effect of ZnCO3 on the life of the catalyst are made.