CO2 coupling reaction with methane by using trimetallic catalysts

This study evaluated the coupling reaction of CO2 with methane via trimetallic catalyst based on ZrO2/TiO2 to produce acetic acid. The catalysts were characterized by various techniques including XRD, BET for textural properties, NH3-TPD and H-2-TPR. The surface acidity of trimetallic catalyst was affected by the addition of transition metal oxide of Fe, Cu and Co as well as Al oxide over Zr/Ti oxide. Additionally, incorporation of a third metal of Al and Fe into the Zr/Ti oxide catalyst led to an increase in hydrogen reduction. The methane coupling to ethane and ethylene increased as a result of the incorporation of metals into the Zr/Ti oxide catalyst in the order of Al > Co > Fe > Cu. The utilization of CO2 by insertion reaction with methane molecules proceeded through CH bond activation and C-C reaction with CO2 to produce acetic acid. The yield of acetic acid was affected by the addition of third metal oxides and the catalyst Al/Zr/Ti showed the highest activation of methane over catalyst and produced more acetic acid from C-C coupling reaction than the binary Zr/Ti oxide catalyst and other trimetallic catalysts.