1103a.    NUSSBAUM, JR., R., AND FROLICH, P. K.  Catalysts for Formation of Alcohol From Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen.  VII.  Studies of Reduction of Methanol Catalyst.  Ind. Eng. Chem., vol. 23, 1931, pp. 1386-1389; Chem. Abs., vol. 26, 1932, p. 1503.

         Samples of a MeOH catalyst containing 58.3 mol. % ZnO and 41.7 mol. % CuO were reduced at progressively higher temperatures.  The activity as measured by the decomposition of MeOH slowly increased as the temperature of reduction rose until a certain point was reached after which any rise in temperature caused a rapid decline in the effectiveness of the catalyst.  The percentage of CO in the decomposition products followed the catalytic activity, whereas the percentage of HCHO followed a curve which was the reverse of the activity of the catalyst.  The catalyst was found by X-ray examination to be crystalline for all temperatures of reduction.  The CuO was found to be reduced to Cu having a unit cell size of 3.634 Å. U.  This corresponds to a-brass containing 13% Zn.  A shorter period of reduction was found partly to offset the lessened catalytic activity due to sintering.  Reoxidation of the catalyst stimulated its activity temporarily, but the increased activity rapidly fell.  O2 added along with MeOH stabilized the rate of decomposition, the O2 reacting with the CO to form CO2.