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Watching the Methanol‐to‐Olefin Process with Time‐ and Space‐Resolved High‐Energy Operando X‐ray Diffraction
Author(s) -
Wragg David S.,
O'Brien Matthew G.,
Bleken Francesca L.,
Di Michiel Marco,
Olsbye Unni,
Fjellvåg Helmer
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201203462
Subject(s) - methanol , olefin fiber , coke , catalysis , synchrotron , diffraction , space velocity , chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , crystallography , organic chemistry , optics , physics , selectivity , engineering
The movement of reactants in a large methanol‐to‐olefin reactor bed was visualized by fast scanning synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (see picture). Changes in the structure of the catalyst showed the formation of reaction intermediates and coke, which can be tracked along the reactor bed. The observations lead to a new model for the progress of the reaction and explain the role of methanol in coke formation.