Structural and surface aspects of thermally treated copper aluminium mixed hydroxides

Abstract

CuO–Al2O3 catalysts containing various amounts of copper oxide have been prepared by precipitation. The phase changes were studied by X-ray diffraction. The results obtained revealed that the thermal treatment of solid CuO–Al2O3 at 700 °C produced only crystalline CuO. Heating to 900 °C led to the formation of copper alumina spinel together with unreacted CuO and γ-Al2O3. The spinel content was found to increase with increasing copper content. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms on the calcined samples have been measured. Surface areas have been calculated and the pore structure analysed. The textural properties of the system were found to depend on both the copper content and the calcination temperature. Key words: CuO, Al2O3 catalysts, structure, surface area, pore structure.