Influence of activated carbon modifications on their catalytic activity in methanol and ethanol conversion reactions

Activated carbons containing different surface functionalities have been investigated as catalysts in conversion reactions of ethanol and methanol. These carbon materials were prepared from Polish brown coal by chemical activation with potassium hydroxide and modified by the oxidation or reaction with ammonia or chlorine. The main process upon ethanol decomposition was its dehydrogenation, while in the process of methanol decomposition only a few samples were catalytically active, and the only product was dimethyl ether (a product of dehydration).