Effects of Si- and Y-modified nanocrystalline zirconia on the properties of Co/ZrO2 catalysts

Nanocrystalline zirconia and m-modified zirconia (m = Si and Y) have been prepared by the modified Pechini’s method and employed as supports for cobalt catalysts. Addition of a small amount of Si or Y during the preparation of nanocrystalline zirconia did not alter the average crystallite sizes and BET surface areas of the tetragonal zirconia. However, zirconia primary particles appeared to be more agglomerated when Si/Zr and Y/Zr were greater than 0.005 and 0.01, respectively. The Si- and Y-modified zirconia supported cobalt catalysts with higher m/Zr showed higher H2 chemisorption and CO hydrogenation activities.