enhancement of cobalt catalyst performance and stability in fischer-tropsch synthesis using graphene nanosheets as catalyst support

Graphene nano sheets (gns) supported cobalt catalyst, is introduced for fischer-tropsch synthesis (fts). the catalyst was prepared using wet impregnation method with cobalt loading of 15.0 wt%. the physico-chemical properties of the catalyst is investigated by tpr, tpd, bet, xrd, tem and h2 chemisorption methods. the performance of the catalyst was assessed in a fixed bed micro-reactor at 220oc, 18 bars and h2/co ratio of 2. the results were compared with those of co/ γ-alumina. using gns as cobalt catalyst support decreased the average cobalt particles size from 16 to 9 nm, increased cobalt dispersion from 6 to 21% and improved the catalyst reducibility by a factor of 2.25. the activity of co/gns catalyst in fts enhanced in comparison with that obtained for co/γ-al2o3. the products selectivity showed a slight shift to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons. using gns as catalyst support increased the catalyst lifetime.