Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis The CAER Perspective

The discovery of the catalytic synthesis of ammonia must rank as one of the important discoveries by mankind. In addition to providing the fertilizer needed to feed an expanding population, Fritz Haber’s recognition of recycle processing combined with the developing German technology to handle high pressures of hydrogen, led a major revolution in the chemical industry. In rapid succession, the Germans developed the high-pressure methanol synthesis and introduced the means to liquefy coal. One of the processes was the direct hydrogenation of coal at high temperatures and pressures that was introduced by the work of Friedrich Bergius and the other was the development of the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide by Franz Fischer, Hans Tropsch and Helmut Pichler, the so-called FischerTropsch synthesis.