Influence of Copper and Silver on Catalytic Performance of MgO-SiO2 System for 1,3-Butadiene Production from Aqueous Ethanol

The promoting effect of copper and silver on catalytic performance of MgO-SiO2 oxide systems for ethanol-to-butadiene (ETB) process has been studied with an aqueous ethanol as a feed. The relationship between acid-base characteristics and catalytic properties of (Cu, Ag)/MgO-SiO2 modified systems in ETB-process is discussed and the differences in the effects of copper and silver are shown based on the measurements of temperature-programmed surface reaction of ethanol. The modification of MgO-SiO2 with copper and silver contributes to a significant increase in 1,3-butadiene yield, as well as the yields of ethylene, butenes and residual intermediate product, acetaldehyde. This is caused by the formation of active sites for ethanol dehydrogenation and [Mg-O-Cu(Ag)] acid-base sites for the reactions of aldol-croton condensation of acetaldehyde with the formation of 1,3-butadiene and butenes, as well as ethanol dehydration. [GRAPHICS] .

Automated summary

Copper and silver have a promoting effect on the catalytic performance of MgO-SiO2 oxide systems in the ethanol-to-butadiene process. The modification of MgO-SiO2 with copper and silver increases the yields by forming active sites for ethanol dehydrogenation and aldol-croton condensation reactions.