Preparation of alumina–silica bimodal pore catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Abstract

The bimodal pore structure support has excellent advantages in solid catalysis reaction because the large pores provide pathways for rapid molecular transportation and small pores provide a large active surface, contributing to high diffusion efficiency and high dispersion of supported metal simultaneously, A multi-functional bimodal pore catalyst support, alumina-silica bimodal pore support, was prepared from polymer complex solution and silica gel. The obtained bimodal pore support had two kinds of main pores, decreased pore volume and enlarged specific surface area, comparing the original silica gel. This kind of bimodal pore support was applied in slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, where cobalt was supported as active metal. Alumina-silica bimodal pore catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity and favorite selectivity, due to the spatial effects of bimodal pore structure and chemical effects of coexisting alumina, which formed the new small pores of bimodal pore support.