Tailoring the Selectivity of Bio-Ethanol Transformation by Tuning the Size of Gold Supported on ZnZr10Ox Catalysts

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/cctc.201800844

The selective bio-ethanol cascade transformation to hydrocarbons over multifunctional catalysts is a highly promising sustainable pathway to high-value chemicals and fuels. However, principles to control the selectivity of the bio-ethanol transformation using the effects of the size of nanoparticle catalysts have remainedlargely unexplored. Here, using bio-ethanol transformation reactions catalyzed by Au/ZnZr₁₀O_x as examples, we demonstrate that changing the fashion of gold loading enables control over product distribution. Our results reveal that larger gold particles tendto show much higher selectivity for 1,3-butadiene, whereas smaller gold nanoparticles favor the formation of acetaldehyde.This study uncovers general principles for tailoring the selectivity of bio-ethanol transformation by carefully engineering the size of gold. It opens a new avenue for the rational design of multifunctional catalysts to enhance the production of desired reaction products in complex cascade reaction sequences.