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.