(661t) Review of Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst Support

Catalyst supports are used to provide special attrition resistance at high temperature and pressure conditions. Many Fischer-Tropsch (FT) studies have reported using catalysts of iron supported on inorganic supports such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, MgO and zeolites. Although these supports improve the structural stability of the iron catalysts, iron can react with the supports to form metal complexes, thus preventing complete reduction of all the iron and not allowing low loading of iron on the support. Hence it is also important to have a support which ensures complete reduction of the metal. Other conditions, such as basicity, dispersion effect and electronic modification, also play a key role in choosing a catalyst support.