CO-hydrogenation of syngas to fuel using silica supported Fe-Cu-K catalysts: Effects of active components

Fe-Cu-K/SiO2 catalysts prepared by varying the amount of active components have been investigated to explain the effects of active components on the activity, selectivity, product carbon number distribution, and nature of coke formation during FT-synthesis. Higher loading of K and Cu favors the reducibility of catalyst and an increase in active components in catalyst had a diminishing effect for surface acidity. Si content of Fe catalyst increases, Fe forms a nanocrystallite or Fe2O3 is appearing as highly distorted amorphous phase and some of the iron oxide present in amorphous form converted to stable fayalite phase after reduction. Identification of different key components in liquid products has been identified by GC-MS method.