Highly efficient iron based MOFs mediated catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: Effect of reduction atmosphere

Catalyst activation is an important and influencing step while determining FTS activity. Taking into account the crucialness of how reduction atmosphere effects the FTS product selectivity, stability, catalytic activity, textural and morphological properties, MOFs mediated Fe-based catalyst (Fe@C) were reduced under five different reduction atmospheres i.e. R-1 (pure CO), R-2 (H2/CO = 1/4), R-3 (H2/CO = 1/2), R-4 (H2/CO = 4) and R-5 (pure hydrogen) and then analyzed under several characterization (SEM, TEM, PXRD, N2 physisorption, Raman and TG) to unravel the facts and investigate the effects behind differently reduced catalysts and how they took part in FTS catalytic reaction. However, three folds higher CO conversion was yielded by purely CO reduced Fe@C catalyst while H2 and syngas reduced catalysts yielded more stable reaction coupled to low activity and very high C5+ selectivity. Moreover, CO pretreatment gave majorly oxide phase (magnetite, Fe3O4), syngas activation yielded large amount of iron carbides (Fe3C) while H2 reduced catalyst produced metallic iron. Thus, a strong relationship between reducing gases and FTS catalytic activity was found.