Deactivation studies of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis on nano-structured iron catalyst

Deactivation kinetics of bulk and nano-structured microemulsion prepared iron catalysts were studied in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS), from fitting of data to a generalized power-law expression (GPLE), rd = kd (a − a∞)m. Conventional bulk iron catalyst was prepared by general bulk co-precipitation method and nano-structured iron catalyst was prepared by microemulsion method. A deactivation model involving parallel paths is proposed, i.e. simultaneous conversion of (a) atomic to polymeric to graphitic carbon and (b) active carbon-rich carbides to inactive carbon-poor carbides. Compositions of bulk iron phase and phase transformations of carbonaceous species during catalyst deactivation in FTS reaction were characterized by temperature-programmed surface reaction with hydrogen (TPSR-H2), XRD and TEM techniques.

Graphical abstractDeactivation kinetics of bulk and nano-structured microemulsion prepared iron catalysts were studied in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS), from fitting of data to a generalized power-law expression (GPLE), rd = kd (a − a∞)m.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (33 K)Download as PowerPoint slide