EFFECT OF WATER ON THE OXIDATION OF METHANOL OVER ELECTROLYTIC SILVER

The mechanism of methanol adsorption induced by oxygen and the effect of water on the methanol oxidation on electrolytic silver have been studied by ultra-high vacuum temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy(TPRS), transient response method and isotopic exchange experiment. It has been found that oxygen adsorbed on silver can greatly promote methanol adsorption and can also react with methanol to produce water. Experimental results show that oxygen in the water comes from the adsorbed oxygen and hydrogen from the methyl and the hydroxyl in methanol. It has also been found that there exists competitive adsorption between water and oxygen on silver and water can increase the selectivity of methanol oxidation to formaldehyde. This result is consistent with the catalytic activities.