Activated carbon as catalyst support: A review of new research results

Carbon can be gasified in the presence of catalysts. Carbon can also be used as a catalyst support for gas-solid reactions, if the temperature and pressure of the gas phase are such that the carbon support is stable under gaseous reactants of the catalytic process. A supported catalyst allows the catalytically active phase to be spread over the large internal surface of the support material. The catalytic effect is mainly governed by the chemical properties of the active phase, however the dispersion and the local distribution of the active phase across the support pellet are significant. The interaction between the active phase and the support is also an important parameter. In this context carbon has favourable properties for its use as catalyst support. These properties are discussed in the light of new research results concerning the conversion of methanol, the hydrodesulphurization of thiophene and the performance of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in the presence of carbon-supported catalysts.