COPPER CATALYST FOR CARBON OXIDE CONVERSION

摘要

A catalyst suitable for a carbon oxides conversion process comprises metallic copper and oxides of zinc and/or magnesium and has a copper metal surface area of at least 70 m<2> per g of copper. Whereas conventional catalysts are normally made by forming an intimate mixture of discrete particles of compounds by copper, and zinc and/or magnesium, and optionally at least one other element such as aluminium, calcining the composition to convert the constituents to oxides and then subjecting the calcined composition to reduction conditions so that the copper compounds therein are converted to copper, the high copper area catalysts are made by a process in which the calcination stage is omitted so that the copper compounds in the intimate mixture are reduced to metallic copper without the intimate mixture being heated to a temperature above 250 DEG C. Where the catalyst is required in pelleted form, it is preferably pelleted after reduction.