Impact of Hydrogenolysis on the Selectivity of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: Diesel Fuel Production over Mesoporous Zeolite-Y-Supported Cobalt Nanoparticles

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 54; no. 15; pp. 4553 - 4556
• Main Authors: Peng, Xiaobo, Cheng, Kang, Kang, Jincan, Gu, Bang, Yu, Xiang, Zhang, Qinghong, Wang, Ye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 07.04.2015; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Catalysts; Cobalt; Diesel fuels; heterogeneous catalysis; Hydrogenolysis; Mathematical models; Nanoparticles; Pore size; Selectivity; Synthesis; Zeolites; cobalt; nanoparticles; zeolites; heterogeneous catalysis; hydrogenolysis
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201411708

Selectivity control is a challenging goal in Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis. Hydrogenolysis is known to occur during FT synthesis, but its impact on product selectivity has been overlooked. Demonstrated herein is that effective control of hydrogenolysis by using mesoporous zeolite Y‐supported cobalt nanoparticles can enhance the diesel fuel selectivity while keeping methane selectivity low. The sizes of the cobalt particles and mesopores are key factors which determine the selectivity both in FT synthesis and in hydrogenolysis of n‐hexadecane, a model compound of heavier hydrocarbons. The diesel fuel selectivity in FT synthesis can reach 60 % with a CH4 selectivity of 5 % over a Na‐type mesoporous Y‐supported cobalt catalyst with medium mean sizes of 8.4 nm (Co particles) and 15 nm (mesopores). These findings offer a new strategy to tune the product selectivity and possible interpretations of the effect of cobalt particle size and the effect of support pore size in FT synthesis. Gas up! A mesoporous zeolite‐Y‐supported cobalt catalyst, which is highly selective for the direct conversion of syngas into diesel fuel, has been developed by effective control of hydrogenolysis. The sizes of the cobalt particles and support mesopores are key factors in determining the activity and selectivity of hydrogenolysis.