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The State of Nickel as Promotor in Cobalt Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

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Abstract

This study focuses on the state of nickel as promotor in cobalt Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalysts. Both catalyst material and promotor were monitored during reduction and under Fischer–Tropsch synthesis conditions with X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The study was carried out on catalysts with varying amounts of metal and promotor in order to elucidate interactions between support, catalyst and promotor metal. Nickel acts as a reduction promotor for cobalt, with a low percentage of nickel interacting with the alumina support to form unreducible nickel aluminate. Furthermore, in a two-step impregnation procedure nickel behaves as seeds for the cobalt particles with the subsequent formation of a solid solution between the two metals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank K. W. Dragsten, NTNU, W. v. Beek and H. Emerich at the Swiss-Norwegian beam lines (ESRF) for experimental assistance and J. C. Walmsley at Sintef for acquiring the TEM images. The authors acknowledge financial support from The Research Council of Norway (NFR) through the KOSK-II and SYNKROTRON programmes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Sem Sælands vei 4, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Georg J. B. Voss, Alexey Voronov & Magnus Rønning

  2. Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Jostein B. Fløystad

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  1. Georg J. B. Voss
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  2. Jostein B. Fløystad
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  3. Alexey Voronov
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  4. Magnus Rønning
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Correspondence to Magnus Rønning.

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Voss, G.J.B., Fløystad, J.B., Voronov, A. et al. The State of Nickel as Promotor in Cobalt Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts. Top Catal 58, 896–904 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-015-0456-z

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