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Cobalt Catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch-Synthesis: Systematic Studies of Carbon Support Effects on Catalyst Activity and Deactivation

Applicant Dr. Felix Herold
Subject Area Technical Chemistry
Term from 2021 to 2024
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 471263729
 
Final Report Year 2024

Final Report Abstract

The chemical industry currently operates along linear value chains in which fossil hydrocarbons are processed into everyday goods that are ultimately disposed of. The problems associated with this approach could be avoided by establishing a circular economy in which hydrocarbons are produced from biomass, waste or carbon dioxide. One of the technologies available to meet this challenge is Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), which produces hydrocarbons from synthesis gas and is therefore of great importance within a future circular economy. One of the most promising catalyst systems for FTS is based on cobalt nanoparticles dispersed on a suitable support. The most fundamental problem with these catalysts is their rapid deactivation, and the catalyst support plays a key role in the design of deactivation-resistant catalysts. Carbon is an attractive carrier material in this respect, as carbon materials are characterized by high surface areas, chemical resistance and almost unlimited possibilities for the targeted manipulation of nanostructure, texture and surface chemistry. However, due to the large number of influencing factors, the optimization of carbon-based catalyst carriers is a major challenge. In this context, the influence of the nanostructure and surface chemistry of carbon catalyst supports on the performance of Co-based FTS catalysts was systematically investigated. For this purpose, series of comparable carbon supports were synthesized and combined with colloidal cobalt nanoparticles to obtain highly defined model catalysts. The use of these model materials made it possible to isolate the influence of different carbon surface functionalizations (by O, N, S and P) on catalyst performance, although none of the investigated surface functionalizations allowed a combination of high catalyst activity and high deactivation resistance. Furthermore, the influence of the carbon nanostructure on the catalyst performance was investigated, whereby it was found that a defect-rich carbon structure contributes significantly to an increased catalyst stability. In this context anchoring of the cobalt nanoparticles plays a major role, which takes place during catalyst reduction on defect-rich but not defect-poor carbon structures. This anchoring reduces the mobility of the cobalt nanoparticles on the catalyst support and thus prevents catalyst deactivation via coalescence of cobalt nanoparticles and the associated loss of active metal surface.

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