Role of Lewis centres on ethanol dehydrogenation over the Cu‐Cr/ γ ‐Al 2 O 3 system

Abstract

Abstract A copper/chromium‐based catalytic formulation is evaluated for anaerobic ethanol dehydrogenation. Results indicate that the Cu–Cr interaction regulates dehydrogenation activity. This interaction increases the relative numbers of Lewis acid centres resulting in a superior performance in selectivity towards dehydrogenation products. During ethanol dehydrogenation, soft coke forms on isolated copper and copper‐chromium sites quickly deactivating the ethanol dehydrogenation process, leading to the production of diethyl ether and ethylene products via ethanol dehydration over alumina and isolated chromium oxide sites. However, mild thermal treatment in air successfully removes the coke, confirming the system's feasibility for continuous industrial use.