Highly efficient Fischer–Tropsch synthesis over an alumina-supported ruthenium catalyst

Abstract

A highly active γ-Al₂O₃-supported Ru catalyst (Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-PHR) for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) under mild conditions, with a catalytic activity of 13.0 mol_CO mol_Ru⁻¹ h⁻¹ at 423 K, was prepared by reducing γ-Al₂O₃-supported ruthenium oxide, RuO₂·xH₂O/γ-Al₂O₃, with hydrogen in water. It was found that the infrared absorption spectrum of CO adsorbed on Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-PHR is quite different from that of usual Ru catalysts, and CO adsorbed on Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-PHR tends to dissociate, revealing the reason for the high catalytic activity. The reduction conditions of RuO₂·xH₂O/γ-Al₂O₃ have significant influences on the catalytic properties due to the formation of different surface structures of the alumina-supported Ru catalyst. The present work provides not only a way to improve the catalytic activity of supported ruthenium catalysts for FTS but also new information for understanding the high catalytic activity over Ru catalysts for FTS at relatively low temperatures.