aDepartament de Química Inorgànica, Universitat de Barcelona. C/ Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
bInstituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, CSIC, Campus Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Abstract:
We examined the effect of the activation process on the structural and morphological characteristics of a cobalt-based catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. A 10 wt.% Co/SiO2 catalyst prepared by wet impregnation was separately activated under H2, CO or a H2/CO mixture. The structural changes during activation from 298 to 773 K were studied by in situ X-ray diffraction. Catalysts were examined by SEM, TEM, XPS and in situ DRIFT-MS. The H2/CO activation produced redispersion of cobalt particles and simultaneous carbon nanostructures formation. The catalyst showed the highest performance in the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis after the H2/CO activation.