Reduced cobalt phases of ZrO2 and Ru/ZrO2 promoted cobalt catalysts and product distributions from Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Co/SiO2 catalysts were promoted with 4% and 8% ZrO2. Small amounts (0.07%) of Ru were impregnated onto 4%ZrO2/Co/SiO2. Catalysts resulting from time-resolved XANES reduction showed mixed phases of Co and CoO, with the highest percentages of Co resulting from Ru/4%ZrO2/Co/SiO2 and the highest percentages of CoO resulting from 8%ZrO2/Co/SiO2. Product distributions of n-alkanes, iso-alkanes and alkenes during Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) were used to investigate the catalyst performance of 4%ZrO2/Co/SiO2 8%ZrO2/Co/SiO2 and Ru/4%ZrO2/Co/SiO2. FTS steady state was studied by growth probabilities of n-alkane products. No 1-alkene was produced from Ru/4%ZrO2/Co/SiO2, indicating high availability of Fischer–Tropsch sites for long chain hydrocarbon growth, despite high methanation. Branched alkanes produced from the secondary reaction were related to the high CoO percentages on 8%ZrO2/Co/SiO2. Alkene readsorption sites were high, corresponding to the high CoO percentages, causing a high probability of forming branched alkane products.