Characterization of Silica-Supported Cobalt Catalysts Prepared by Decomposition of Nitrates Using Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Plasma

Low temperature decomposition of precursors usually leads to higher cobalt dispersion. In this study, we present a method to decompose cobalt precursors by using dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma without requiring a thermal calcination process. Cobalt (Co) catalysts prepared by DBD plasma were characterized by a range of techniques. The results indicate that the DBD decomposition method can not only reduce the decomposition time but also achieve an increased Co dispersion, small Co 3 O 4 cluster size and uniform distribution compared to traditional calcination method. It was observed that the DBD-treated catalysts performed well in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and were favorable for heavy hydrocarbon formation. Graphical Abstract Cobalt precursors were decomposed by dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma without requiring a thermal calcination process. Results indicate that the DBD plasma method greatly reduces the decomposition time. Catalysts prepared by DBD plasma had an increased Co dispersion, small Co 3 O 4 cluster size and uniform distribution compared to catalysts prepared by traditional calcination. The DBD-treated catalysts performed well in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and were favorable for heavy hydrocarbon formation.