Strong metal-support interactions supported copper catalysts

A series of binary (Cu/ZnO and C11/AI2O3) and ternary (Cu/ZnO/A Oa) copper catalysts employed in methanol synthesis has been investigated by d Alnoncourt et al. [142]. The results obtained using CO adsorption microcalorimetry showed that Cu/ZnO/AlaOa had the lowest initial heat of adsorption of 68 kJ mof and was the most active catalyst for methanol synthesis. Cu/ZnO showed a heat of adsorption of 71 kJ mol" and a lower activity, and CU/AI2O3 had the highest initial heat of adsorption of 81 kJ mof and the lowest activity. The decrease of about 10 kJ mol in the heat of adsorption of CO induced by the presence of ZnO has been attributed to strong metal-support interactions. 

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