Aqueous-Phase Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis: Effect of Reaction Temperature on Ruthenium Nanoparticle Catalyst and Comparison with Supported Ru and Co Catalysts

The effect of reaction temperature on the performance of a ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst was investigated during aqueous-phase Fischer–Tropsch synthesis using a 1 L stirred tank reactor in the batch mode of operation. The activity of the catalyst was found to increase monotonically with increasing reaction temperature. At lower temperatures oxygenates content is high. With increasing the reaction temperature, oxygenate selectivity decreases and the hydrocarbons selectivity increases. Methane and carbon dioxide selectivity increases with reaction temperature. Under similar activation and reaction conditions, a NaY supported 2.5 wt% Ru catalyst and a traditional cobalt FT catalyst (0.5 %Pt-25 %Co/Al 2 O 3 ) were utilized. The activity of the supported ruthenium and cobalt catalysts are lower than the ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst and carbon dioxide formation is high for supported catalysts. High activity of ruthenium nanoparticles compare to the supported catalysts might be due to the high ratio of atoms remaining at the surface, and which are therefore available for acting in the chemical transformation of the substrates. Graphical Abstract