Understanding the Environmental Sensitivity of Copper‐Metal Oxides Interactions in Cu/ZnO and Cu/Al2O3 Catalysts

Ternary Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts are one of the most important industrial catalysts and show excellent activity in methanol reforming reaction. However, it is challenging to elucidate the metal support interactions, which critically influence the catalyst structure and performance, due to their environmentally sensitive nature. This study examines the interactions between Cu and Al2O3 and ZnO, after reductive treatments of the Cu/Al2O3 and Cu/ZnO model catalysts with varying temperatures and hydrogen concentration. A combination of Brunner‐Emmet‐Teller (BET) measurements, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), N2O titration, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformations spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) provided comprehensive insights into the structural evolution of the catalysts.