CARBON-BLACK AND ACTIVATED CARBON AS SUPPORTS IN CATALYSTS PREPARED FROM FE-3(CO)12 AND MN-2(CO)10 CLUSTERS

Well dispersed Fe and Fe-Mn particles were obtained on a high surface area, activated carbon support using Fe3(CO)12 and Mn2(CO)10 carbonyl clusters, and compared to those on a high surface area carbon black prepared in similar fashion. The Fe-Mn/Activated Carbon catalysts were prepared by coimpregnation with both metal carbonyls in the required proportions to obtain an Fe Mn ratio of two. The pure carbon supports were characterized by physical adsorption methods while the carbon-supported Fe catalysts were characterized by CO and H2 chemisorption and catalytic behavior in the CO hydrogenation reaction. The purpose was to compare the catalytic behavior of the activated carbon-supported metal catalysts with those using carbon black. The principal advantage of the granular activated carbon, in addition to the more convenient particle size and the ease of controlling its surface area and its pore size distribution by the extent of the activation burn-off, was its stabilization of an Fe-Mn catalyst to give a high olefin/paraffin ratio over long periods of continuous operation. © 1990.