Behaviour of a cyanide-derived Fe/Al2O3 catalyst during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

The interaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with an alumina-supported iron catalyst has been studied at temperatures ranging from 300 to 523 K and at a pressure of 103 kPa. The species produced and adsorbed on the catalyst surface have been examined by infrared spectroscopy, while the chemical state of the iron within the catalyst was investigated by magnetization measurements and Mossbauer spectroscopy. At 300 K the main type of adsorbed species on the iron particle surface appeared to be molecular carbon monoxide and formate groups. The amount of the latter species increases considerably at elevated reaction temperatures up to 473 K. Changes in the infrared absorption bands of CO, and in the magnetization and Mossbauer data indicate that under the applied conditions the surface properties of the iron particles are affected by the synthesis gas, but that the bulk remains metallic. The increased Fischer-Tropsch activity at more elevated temperatures, viz. 473 and 523 K, is accompanied by significant changes in the in situ recorded infrared spectra. The formation of hydrocarbons is evident from the well developed absorption bands in the 3000-2800 cm(-1) range, due to (a)symmetric stretching vibrations of CH2 and CH3 groups. Assignment of the various absorption bands in the 1700-1200 cm(-1) wavenumber range is speculative due to (partial) coincidence of the bands and the gradual change in chemical composition of the catalyst particles. At higher temperatures the bulk of the iron particles reacts rapidly to a mixture of carbides. Initially the unstable epsilon-Fe2C is formed which reacts to epsilon'-Fe2.2C upon prolonged periods of time of reaction and/or increased reaction temperatures. These carbides appeared to be thermally unstable: upon hearing in helium they are converted into a mixture of chi-Fe5C2 and metallic Fe. Interaction of the reduced iron catalysts with ethylene or methane at 523 K gives rise to absorption bands at 1555, 1345 and 1050 cm(-1), which are to CH, adsorbed species. Upon reaction with ethylene also a band at 2160 cm(-1) was observed, which was assigned to an ethylidyne species.