Nanostructured Encapsulated Catalysts for Combination of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis and Hydroprocessing

Controlling the selectivity of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a single reaction step is highly desirable, but is a major challenge in heterogeneous catalysis. One approach is the application of bifunctional catalysts. However, to control the catalytic properties the morphology of the catalyst needs to be controlled on the nanoscopic scale. Herein, an innovative synthetic approach that allows the bottom-up construction of nanostructured bifunctional catalysts in a step-wise manner is described. The resulting material, which exhibits cobalt nanoparticles encapsulated inside a zeolite matrix, was proven to be active in the combined Fischer-Tropsch and cracking reaction, evidenced by a shift from waxy to liquid products. Consequently, the use of this novel approach was demonstrated in terms of material synthesis and catalytic applications.