Effects of preparation and operation conditions on precipitated iron nickel catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Iron nickel oxide catalysts were prepared using co-precipitation procedure and studied for the conversion of synthesis gas to light olefins. In particular, the effects of a range of preparation variables such as [Fe]/[Ni] molar ratios of the precipitation solution, precipitate aging times, calcination conditions, different supports and loading of optimum support on the structure of catalysts and their catalytic performance for the tested reaction were investigated. It was found that the catalyst containing 40%Fe/60%Ni/40wt%Al2O3, which was aged for 180 min and calcined at 600 °C for 6 h was the optimum modified catalyst. The catalytic performance of optimal catalyst has been studied in different operation conditions such as reaction temperatures, H2/CO molar feed ratios and reaction total pressure. Characterization of both precursors and calcined catalysts was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, thermal analysis methods such as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).