Hans-Jörg Wölk

Investigations of the selective partial oxidation of methanol and the oxidative coupling of methane over copper catalysts

ABSTRACT Copper-based catalysts are of considerable importance for industrial reactions, e. g. partial oxidation reactions. This contribution reports on a broad study of the catalytic activity of copper in model redox reactions, e. g. methanol oxidation and oxidative coupling of methane. In addition the interaction of Cu with these reactive gases was investigated by thermoanalytic techniques (TG/DTA, DSC), temperature programmed oxidation and reduction (TPO/TPR) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) was additionally used to characterise the copper catalyst before and after catalytic action.