The solvent effects during preparation of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalysts: Improvement of reducibility, dispersion of supported cobalt and stability of catalyst

The different solvents were applied, such as acetic acid or ethanol, during preparation of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalysts, to modify the surface properties of silica supports or as a solvent of cobalt precursors. The modification of silica supports by acetic acid or ethanol improves the reduction degree and dispersion of supported cobalt simultaneously, realizing higher catalytic activity, and the catalysts prepared from ethanol solution of cobalt precursor exhibit significant stability and activity in slurry phase FTS reaction during 100 h. The obtained catalysts were characterized by XRD, TPR, in situ DRIFT and H2 chemisorption.