Dehydrogenation of ethanol over carbon-supported Cu–Co catalysts modified by catalytic chemical vapor deposition

A bimetallic copper–cobalt catalyst supported on activated carbon fibrous (ACF) material was prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation of the support with an aqueous solution of corresponding nitrates. Reference monometallic Cu/ACF and Co/ACF samples were synthesized analogously. In order to enhance the metal-support interaction and stabilize the dispersion of active components, the Cu–Co/ACF catalyst was subjected to catalytic chemical vapor deposition of ethylene at 600 °C with the formation of carbon nanofibers (CNF). As a result, the catalytic system consisting of Cu–Co particles anchored on carbon–carbon composite was obtained. All samples were characterized by a set of physicochemical methods. The catalytic performance of pristine and CNF-modified samples was studied in the ethanol dehydrogenation reaction. The activity of Cu–Co/CNF/ACF catalyst was shown to be two times higher compared with the unmodified bimetallic sample.