Cerium Modified Pillared Montmorillonite Supported Cobalt Catalysts for Fischer Tropsch Synthesis

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis was accomplished over Al-pillared Montmorillonite supported 20 wt% Co modified with different weight% of cerium catalysts. These catalysts were prepared by impregnation method while structural characterizations of the prepared samples were performed by XRD, TPR, NH3TPD, TGA, BET, XRF and SEM techniques. The Fischer Tropsch reaction was studied in fixed bed micro catalytic reactor at temperature range of 220, 260 and 275 degrees C and at different pressure (1, 5, and 10 bars). From the activity results, it was found that by pillaring NaMMT with Al higher catalytic activity and lower methane selectivity of NaMMT was achieved. Furthermore, the results of FT synthesis reaction revealed that cerium incorporation increased the dispersion of Co3O4 on the surface and consequently resulted in enhanced catalytic activity. Additionally, the C-5-C-12 hydrocarbons and methane selectivity increased while C22+ hydrocarbons selectivity was decreased over cerium modified catalysts. Higher reaction temperature (> 220 degrees C) resulted in significant enhancement in CO conversion and methane selectivity. Though, increase in pressure from 1 to 10 bars eventually resulted in increase in C5+ hydrocarbons and decrease in methane and C-2-C-5 hydrocarbons selectivity.