Influence of Chemical Composition on the Catalytic Activity of Small Bimetallic FeRu Nanoparticles for Fischer–Tropsch Syntheses

Abstract

FeRu nanoparticles were prepd. according to an organometallic route using {Fe[N(Si(CH3)3)2]2}2 and (η4-1,5-cyclooctadiene)(η6-1,3,5-cyclooctatriene) ruthenium(0) Ru(COD)(COT) precursors followed by their insertion into a mesoporous MCF-17 support host. The resulting nanoparticles had a uniform size of approx. 2 nm, with a relative Ru amt. of up to 33 at.%. Steady-state Fischer-Tropsch catalysis at 6 bar total pressure (H2/CO = 1:1) demonstrated light olefins prodn. with a selectivity close to 50 % (ex. CO2) for catalysts with low Ru content (5 at.%). The selectivity pattern changed to long chain-paraffin prodn. with increasing Ru amts. These catalysts were also more active than those contg. few Ru. XPS showed under-parity Ru amts. to effectively cover the surface of Fe nanoparticles. The nanoparticle distribution inside the MCF-17 host was characterized by microtomia/TEM. [on SciFinder(R)]