Interaction of CO with catalyst surfaces prepared in situ in the electron spectrometer: evidence for CO2− and related species relevant to methanol synthesis

Interaction of CO with the Cu ZnO catalyst surfaces prepared in situ in the sample preparation chamber of the electron spectrometer has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalyst surfaces contained different proportions of Cu1+ and Cu0 species. Besides chemisorbed CO, CO2 − and CO3 2− species are found on the catalyst surface, the proportion of CO2 − and CO3 2− species relative to CO increasing with the Cu 1+ Cu 0 ratio. This observation is of significance to methanol synthesis.