Nanoscale Design of Supported Iron Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

Introduction The preparation and characterization of nanophase materials has received considerable attention in recent years, given their potential for improved performance as catalysts, high-strength materials, and semiconductor devices. For example, a recent breakthrough by Sun et al. (1) in the synthesis of highly-dispersed, silica-supported iron-platinum (FePt) bimetallic nanoclusters of controlled size illustrate the great potential for important applications in the fields of semiconductors and catalysis. In the area of catalysis, Fe has been observed to decrease the over-voltage of Pt electrodes, while Pt improves the extent of reduction of iron catalysts and leads to higher specific activity for CO hydrogenation than monometallic catalysts (2). The objectives of this study were (1) preparation of active, stable, regenerable, and attrition-resistant supported Ptpromoted iron catalysts, and (2) correlation of the nanophase structure of these catalysts with activity.