Study of the Cu/SiO2 Catalyst Prepared from Copper Phyllosilicate

Copper phyllosilicate has been synthesized from a solution of sodium silicate and copper nitrate by co-precipitation under acidic conditions followed by reduction under H 2 flow for using it as the Cu/SiO 2 catalyst. The catalyst has been characterized by XRD, XPS, FTIR and Raman spectra, EDS, BET, and TEM. It is confirmed that only copper phyllosilicate and SiO 2 exist in the catalyst precursor, and there has been no CuO. Physical and chemical properties of Cu/SiO 2 catalyst have been evaluated. The Cu/SiO 2 catalyst has not only a large specific surface area and abundant mesopores but also the advantages of high dispersion of copper nanoparticles and the combination of Cu 0 and Cu + . The catalyst demonstrates high activity and selectivity in the reaction of 2-butanol dehydrogenation to methyl ethyl ketone.