The influence of plasma chemical treatment of copper-rhenium catalysts deposited on sibunite on their dehydrogenating activity

At 450-600 K, 2% copper and copper-rhodium catalysts deposited on sibunite and containing 0.25-2.0% rhenium were selective in the dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol to acetone and hydrogen. Alter treatment of the copper-sibunite catalyst in a glow-discharge plasma, the yield of acetone decreased, whereas similar treatment of the copper-rhenium-sibunite catalyst increased the yield of acetone. A multiple increase in activity was observed as a result of plasma chemical treatment, performing series of experiments with isopropyl alcohol transformations, and the reduction of catalysts with hydrogen. The suggestion was made that catalytically active centers were Cu xRey-type clusters containing the H atom and Cu-Re bonds.