(601e) Cobalt/Alumina Interactions in ALD Synthesized Catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Cobalt metal was deposited onto an alumina (Al₂O₃) support using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create dispersed catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS). These catalysts are highly active for the FTS reaction, exhibiting triple the cobalt mass activity of standard incipient wetness catalysts at similar reaction conditions. HRTEM imaging shows that cobalt has simultaneously deposited during ALD in both crystalline plane and nanoparticle regimes, regardless of the number of ALD cycles. However, it was found that the number of ALD cycles greatly alters the activity of these catalysts, with 4 and 8 cycle catalysts being much more active than the 1 cycle catalyst. The known structure sensitivity of FTS indicates that the crystalline cobalt regions are the active regions for FTS. The ALD process allows deposition of metallic cobalt onto Al₂O₃ with protective organic capping ligands, preventing cobalt oxidation and reconstruction in air prior to reaction. Additional ALD experiments on different phases of Al₂O₃ followed by FTS testing proves the influence of support structure on the cobalt deposition regime and consequently FTS activity. Finally, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were done to understand the metal/support properties responsible for planar vs. nanoparticle growth during ALD and explain the high activity shown by these catalysts.