Unraveling the roles of Cu0 and Cu+ in CuZnAl catalyst for CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols

The valence states of Cu site are regarded as an important factor affecting the performance of syngas to higher alcohols (C 2+ OH). Regrettably, the role of Cu 0 and Cu + in CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols remains controversial due to the complexity of the reaction. In this study, Cu 0 and Cu 2 O powders are directly added as the precursors to adjust the ratios of Cu + /(Cu 0 +Cu + ) and Cu particle sizes in CuZnAl catalysts by a complete liquid-phase (CLP) technology. The CAT-Cu 0 catalyst with higher Cu 0 content shows the highest CO conversion (>15%) ascribing to the biggest S Cu , but is also accompanied by the highest CO 2 selectivity (>40%), while the CAT-Cu + catalysts with higher Cu + content displays relative better C 2+ OH selectivity (>60%) and stability due to a higher probability of CO insertion. In-situ DRIFTS experiments reveal that a synergy between larger Cu particle sizes (30～40 nm) and surface Cu + sites, in which larger Cu sizes enhances the probability of bridge CO adsorption, thereby favoring the C–O bond dissociation for CH x formation. Meanwhile, Cu + active sites provide a higher probability for CO/CHO insertion to form CH 3 CHO*/CH 2 CO* intermediates. This study further deepens our understanding of the critical controlling factors for highly selective synthesis of C 2+ OH from syngas over Cu-based catalysts.