The role of metal oxides in promoting a copper catalyst for methanol synthesis

The coverage of oxygen formed on the surface of catalysts during methanol synthesis from CO₂ has been measured for copper-based catalysts including various metal oxides using a method called reactive frontal chromatography (RFC). An excellent correlation between the specific activity for methanol synthesis and the oxygen coverage (θ) was obtained, where the activity increased linearly with oxygen coverage at θ<0.16 and then decreased at θ>0.18. The results strongly indicate that the support effect or addition of metal oxides revealed in methanol synthesis over copper catalysts is ascribed to the ratio of Cu⁺ to Cu⁰ on the surface of copper particles.