Fischer-Tropsch performance correlated to catalyst structure: Trends in activity and stability for a silica-supported cobalt catalyst

• Particle size and size distribution of Co Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalysts was determined from XRD.
• FT performance was measured at industrially relevant conditions (210 °C, H2/CO = 2, 20 bar).
• FT turnover frequency increases linearly with Co0 particle size up to 9.8 nm.
• The breadth of the particle size distribution correlates directly to FT stability.
• We show an active catalyst with deactivation of −0.08% CO converted/day in a microchannel reactor.

The influence of the cobalt particle size and particle size distribution in determining Fischer-Tropsch (FT) performance for silica supported catalysts was investigated. Using a line broadening powder X-ray diffraction analysis, both the particle size and particle size distribution of cobalt were estimated and compared to the FT activity and stability at industrially relevant conditions (210 °C, H2/CO = 2, 20 bar). It was shown that the apparent turnover frequency increased linearly with Co0 particle size up to 9.8 nm, the largest size tested. For the first time, it has been shown that the breadth of the particle size distribution correlates directly to catalyst stability. Using these correlations, a highly active and stable catalyst was developed, showing a deactivation rate of −0.08% CO converted/day in a microchannel reactor with an activity of 0.25 molCO gCo−1 h−1.

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