Iron and copper nanoparticles inside and outside carbon nanotubes: Nanoconfinement, migration, interaction and catalytic performance in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Carbon materials have attracted increasing attention as supports for metal catalysts. Iron-containing carbon nanotubes often promoted with copper found application in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, which provides an alternative way conversion of renewable feedstocks to chemicals and fuels. In nanotubes, the active phase can be nanoconfined inside channels or localized on outer surface. most previous work, distribution nanoparticles outside is considered immobile during catalyst activation catalytic reaction. this paper, we uncovered remarkable mobility both iron species bimetallic catalysts between inner nanotube surface, occurs monoxide syngas, while almost no migration proceeds monometallic This enhanced by noticeable fragility defects appear their impregnation acid solutions precursors precursor decomposition. Remarkable affects genesis sites, enhances interaction promoter. iron-copper catalysts, major increase activity was attributed a higher reaction turnover frequency over surface sites located close proximity copper.