Application of Cu/SiO₂ Catalysts Prepared by Different Methods in Dehydrogenation Reaction of Secondary Butyl Alcohol

Cu/SiO₂ catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation (CP), hydrothermal (HT), ammonia evaporation (AE), and sol–gel (SG) methods and tested for their performance in the dehydrogenation reaction of secondary butyl alcohol to methyl ethyl ketone. The results showed that the Cu/SiO₂ catalyst prepared by the sol–gel method has the best performance. By BET and H₂–TPR characterization, it can be found that the catalysts prepared by sol–gel method has the largest specific surface areas and lowest reduction temperatures. Based on the characterization results of XRD, XPS and XAES, it shows that the catalyst prepared by sol–gel method has a better dispersion of copper components and a higher content of Cu⁰ species after reduction, which leads to its higher catalytic activity. At a copper loading of 22.96% (w%), the conversion of secondary butyl alcohol was up to 99.0% and the selectivity of methyl ethyl ketone was up to 99.8% by using the Cu/SiO₂ catalysts prepared by sol–gel (SG) methods.