Synthesis and Characterization of Ag/Al2O3 Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of 1-Octyne and the Preferential Hydrogenation of 1-Octyne vs 1-Octene

Catalysts featuring 2, 5, and 10 wt % silver supported on alumina were prepared by the deposition precipitation method and activated under hydrogen. All catalysts were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy (BSE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), hydrogen-temperature-programmed reduction (H-2-TPR), H-2-chemisorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectros-copy, and isopropylamine (IPA) TPD and evaluated in a continuous plug flow fixed-bed reactor. Metal nanoparticles with average sizes of 4.5, 11.5, and 21.1 nm were identified by HR-TEM for the 2, 5, and 10 wt % Ag/Al2O3 catalysts, respectively. A conversion of 99% was observed for 1-octyne over particles between 10 and 15 nm in size, with stable operation up to 24 h (decreasing thereafter) at a temperature of 140 degrees C and a pressure of 30 bar in the competitive hydrogenation reaction. No conversion of 1-octene was noted in competitive reactions (mixed 1-octyne and 1-octene feed) but rather a gain of 1-octene throughout the 72 h time-on-stream. The performance of all catalysts was influenced by both the metal and support, where the latter impacted the overall acidity of the catalysts, thus affecting their long-term stability.

Automated summary

In this study, catalysts with different silver loadings supported on alumina were prepared and characterized. It was found that the catalysts with different silver loadings had different sizes of metal nanoparticles. In the competitive hydrogenation reaction, nanoparticles with sizes of 10-15 nm showed high conversion and stable operation. The performance of the catalysts was influenced by both the metal and support, with the support playing an important role in the overall acidity of the catalysts.