Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: support, loading, and promoter effects on the reducibility of cobalt catalysts

Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and hydrogen chemisorption combined with reoxidation measurements were used to define the reducibility of supported cobalt catalysts. Different supports (e.g. Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, and ZrO2 modified SiO2 or Al2O3) and a variety of promoters, including noble metals and metal cations, were examined. Significant support interactions on the reduction of cobalt oxide species were observed in the order Al2O3 > TiO2 > SiO2. Addition of Ru and Pt exhibited a similar catalytic effect by decreasing the reduction temperature of cobalt oxide species, and for Co species where a significant surface interaction with the support was present, while Re impacted mainly the reduction of Co species interacting with the support. For catalysts reduced at the same temperature, a slight decrease in cluster size was observed in H,) chemisorption/pulse reoxidation with noble metal promotion, indicating that the promoter aided in reducing smaller Co species that interacted with the support. On the other hand, addition of non-reducible metal oxides such as B, La, Zr, and K was found to cause the reduction temperature of Co species to shift to higher temperatures, resulting in a decrease in the percentage reduction. For both Al2O3 and SiO2, modifying the support with Zr was found to enhance the dispersion. Increasing the cobalt loading, and therefore the average Co cluster size, resulted in improvements to the percentage reduction. Finally, a slurry phase impregnation method led to improvements in the reduction profile of Co/Al2O3. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.. All rights reserved.