Preparation and Characterization of SiO2/Co and C/Co Nanocomposites as Fisher-Tropsch Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation

Abstract

To fabricate high-density cobalt-based catalysts, we first synthesized SiO2/C composites via a hydrothermal method and removed C and SiO2 by two different methods, respectively. The as-prepared SiO2 and C supports then reacted with cobalt acetylacetonate and N,N-dimethylformamide(DMF) under hydrothermal conditions to prepare SiO2/Co and C/Co nanocomposite catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscope(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP), energy dispersive X-ray fluoresence spectrometer(EDX), and nitrogen adsorption. It was found that hexagonal cobalt nanocrystals were successfully integrated with the mesoporous silica or carbon nanotube supports. SEM and TEM results show that SiO2/Co composites with a hollow/mesoporous sphere structure and C/Co composites with a tubular structure have been successfully synthesized. Both composite samples show superparamagnetism exhibiting an S-type hysteresis loop, which originated from the cobalt nanoparticles in the samples. Nitrogen adsorption/desorption curves suggest that the SiO2 and C supports have well-developed pore structures and large specific surface areas, and the loading and good dispersity of cobalt nanoparticles on the supports were proven by ICP and EDX. Moreover, the samples exhibited good and stable catalytic activity, demonstrating that the two composites are suitable catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch CO2 hydrogenation.