Stabilized ordered-mesoporous Co3O4 structures using Al pillar for the superior CO hydrogenation activity to hydrocarbons

• Metal oxide pillared ordered-mesoporous Co3O4 showed superior FTS activity and stability.
• Al2O3-pillared meso-Co3O4 showed excellent stability by forming stronger interaction.
• Al2O3 modification can effectively stabilize ordered-mesoporous structures by acting as an ordered mesoporous channel reactor.

The metal oxide pillared ordered-mesoporous Co3O4 was investigated to design a stable and superior catalyst for CO hydrogenation into linear hydrocarbons through Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reaction. Enhanced structural stability was observed in ordered-mesoporous Co3O4 even under hydrogen-excess conditions after modification with a metal oxide pillar of Al2O3. The mesoporous Co3O4 was synthesized using a hard template of highly ordered three dimensional mesoporous KIT-6. A small number of metal oxide pillars such as Al2O3, Mn2O4, and SiO2 with 5 wt% were subsequently added to the ordered-mesoporous Co3O4 through the incipient wetness impregnation method. The Al2O3-modifed mesoporous Co3O4 catalyst demonstrated superior CO conversion with a stable activity in CO hydrogenation reaction. The enhanced catalytic stability seems to be attributable to the lower mobility of the Al2O3 pillar which formed stronger interactions with the mesoporous Co3O4 inner surfaces. The Al2O3 modification can effectively stabilize ordered-mesoporous structures of Co3O4 by acting as an ordered mesoporous channel reactor and enhancing the transport rate of hydrocarbons formed during FTS reaction.

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