Dilute Alloy Catalysts for the Synthesis of Isobutanol via the Guerbet Route: A Comprehensive Study

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of bimetallic alloy catalysts, specifically Ni99Pt1, Cu99Ni1, Cu99Fe1, Fe99Pt1, and Fe99Pd1, for the synthesis of isobutanol via the Guerbet route. The catalysts were synthesized with a doping of 1 at% Ni, Fe, Pt, and Pd in the base metals Fe, Cu, and Ni. The catalytic properties of these bimetallic alloy catalysts were explored for their potential for promoting the Guerbet reaction. The study aims to test the usability of the theoretically predicted d-band values in the synthesized bimetallic catalysts, which were prepared by means of incipient wetness impregnation, and shows that doping amounts smaller than 1 at% already significantly improved the catalytic activity of the base metals. In particular, the doping of nickel with platinum yielded an effective catalyst for the synthesis of isobutanol via the Guerbet pathway. The Ni99Pt1/C catalyst from the presented experiments had the highest Space Time Yield (STY) and is, therefore, also a promising catalyst for the hydrogen-borrowing reactions class.