Performances of mixed alcohols synthesis over potassium promoted molybdenum carbides

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 85; no. 17; pp. 2662 - 2665
• Main Authors: Xiang, Minglin, Li, Debao, Li, Wenhuai, Zhong, Bing, Sun, Yuhan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, etc; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Mixed alcohols synthesis; Molybdenum carbide; Potassium; Potassium; Mixed alcohols synthesis; Molybdenum carbide; Molybdenum Carbides; Alcohol; Carbon monoxide; Performance; Chemical synthesis; Hydrogenation; Catalyst; Methanol
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2006.05.012

Molybdenum carbides, β-Mo 2C and α-MoC 1− X , promoted by K 2CO 3 were studied as catalysts for CO hydrogenation reactions at T = 573 K, P = 8.0 MPa, GHSV = 2000 h −1, H 2/CO = 1.0. Unpromoted molybdenum carbides produced mainly light hydrocarbons under these conditions. Addition of K 2CO 3 as a promoter, however, both β-Mo 2C and α-MoC 1− X resulted in remarkable selectivity shift from hydrocarbons to alcohols. Moreover, the promoter of potassium enhanced the ability of chain propagation of β-Mo 2C and α-MoC 1− X with higher selectivity to C 2+OH. Meanwhile, the investigation of the loadings of K 2CO 3 in β-Mo 2C and α-MoC 1− X revealed that the maximum of yield of alcohol was obtained at K/Mo (molar ratio) of 0.2 and 0.1, respectively. On K/β-Mo 2C catalysts, the distribution of hydrocarbons obeyed traditional linear A–S–F plot, while alcohols gave a unique linear A–S–F distribution with remarkable deviation of methanol compared with that of on β-Mo 2C catalyst. However, there was no significant difference between α-MoC 1− X and K/α-MoC 1− X catalysts about the distributions of alcohols and hydrocarbons; they both have similar linear A–S–F plots. Thus, the potassium promoter played a different role over β-Mo 2C and α-MoC 1− X catalysts upon the catalytic performance of mixed alcohols synthesis.