Study on surface morphology and selectivity of precipitated iron catalysts of FTS

The precipitated iron catalyst was prepared by co‐precipitation. The surface morphology of the catalyst was investigated under different reduction conditions by SEM (S‐250, USA). Under H2‐reduction, the surface morphology of the catalyst had the obvious changes, which the diameter reduced, adhered together, came into being wads considered as a group. But the surface morphology of the catalyst had almost no change under CO reduction. The crystal structure of the catalyst was studied under different reduction conditions by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) (Rigaku D/max, Japanese). It was found that the catalyst was reduced completely with H2, but it was reduced partly with CO. The crystal structure of the catalyst converted into the metallic phase with H2 reduction. However, most of the iron converted into iron oxide (Fe3O4) with CO reduction. And the predominant phase in a sample of a mature catalyst is χ‐Fe5C2, which is the active phase in the Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis (FTS). The experimental results showed that CO conversion and H2 conversion increase with the change of reaction temperature from 260 to 300 °C, under the conditions of pressure P = 2.6 MPa, space velocity = 0.86 Nl h−1 g‐Fe−1, n(H2)/n(CO) = 2/3, and most of the hydrocarbon products are C5−11 which hold half of the hydrocarbon products. The next content is C2−4 which holds the quarter of hydrocarbon products. Then it is C12+, which is equal to 18%. And the last is C1, which is equal to 7%. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.