Hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to higher alcohols over ordered mesoporous carbon nanoparticle-supported Rh-based catalysts

Two-dimensional hexagonally ordered mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs) were synthesized using the templating synthesis method. MCNs were introduced as supports for the catalytic thermochemical conversion of syngas to higher alcohols. The catalytic test of the promoted Rh/MCNs was performed using a fixed bed reactor. The catalytic results reveal that the nano-sized MCN-supported catalysts exhibited higher C2+ alcohol production with a high ethanol selectivity compared with the micro-sized ordered mesoporous carbon-supported catalysts. The promoted Rh/CMK-5-MCN with a hollow framework configuration exhibited a superior space-time yield of the total C2+ alcohols compared with the promoted Rh/CMK-3-MCN with a rod carbon framework. It indicates that the promoted Rh/MCNs exhibited different catalytic activities and selectivities of higher alcohols, which is attributed to the Rh particle size and the reactant accessibility to active sites through the morphological effects of the MCNs.