Preparation and characterization of Cu/ZnO loaded carbon nanotube and nanopowder templated zeolites and their catalytic activity for hydrogenating CO and CO₂

Zeolites with different silica:alumina ratios were synthesized in the presence of additional templating agents such as carbon nanotubes and nanopowders. The resulting material was impregnated with copper and zinc nitrate solutions to prepare Cu/ZnO/zeolite composite catalysts. The materials were characterized by a number of methods including B.E.T. surface area, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction (TPR), and nitrous oxide titration. Carbon nanotubes produced materials with higher activities than carbon nanopowders likely due to a better interconnection of the mesopore network developed during zeolite synthesis. Hydrogenation reactions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide mixtures at atmospheric pressure and 513 K were used to determine the material's catalytic activity and selectivity to oxygenates and hydrocarbons.