Phase-Pure Cu,Zn,Al Hydrotalcite-like Materials as Precursors for Copper rich Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ Catalysts

A series of hydrotalcite-like (htl) compounds of the general composition (Cu,Zn) 1− x Al x (OH) 2 (CO 3 ) x/2 ·m H 2 O was prepared with a fixed Cu:Zn ratio of 70:30. Phase pure samples could be obtained for 0.3 ≤ x ≤ 0.4. The htl precursors thermally decompose in multiple steps. After dehydration and dehydroxylation amorphous materials were obtained at 330 °C. Phase segregation during this mild calcination was only observed for samples with a Zn:Al ratio deviating strongly from 1:2. A mechanism for this low-temperature segregation process basing on the preformation of the ZnAl 2 O 4 phase within the amorphous material is proposed. Samples with Zn:Al ratios near 1:2 form an amorphous carbonate-modified mixed oxide “(CuO) x (ZnAl 2 O 4 ) y ” of homogeneous microstructure. Crystallization occurs upon carbonate decomposition at temperatures higher than 500 °C. Despite the small size of the Cu nanoparticles (around 7 nm) formed upon reduction, the accessible Cu surface area is below 5 m 2 g −1 . This can be explained by the unfavorable microstructure of the resulting Cu/ZnAl 2 O 4 catalyst: The Cu particles are to a large extent embedded in a compact oxide matrix. The applicability as Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts and the role of htl precursor phases in course of industrial catalyst preparation are discussed.