The effect of catalyst preparation on catalytic activity: II. The design of Ni/Al 2O 3 catalysts prepared by wet impregnation

Abstract

The performance of catalysts has been shown to be strongly dependent on their methods of preparation. We have previously reported the effect of preparation procedures including metal concentration, pH, and ionic strength of the impregnation solution on the catalytic performance of the finished catalyst. Here design equations are presented for Ni/Al 2O 3 catalysts prepared by wet impregnation from nickel nitrate solution in contact with a γ-Al 2O 3 support. The metal dispersion, activity for C 1, C 2 and C 3 formation under synthesis conditions, and the carbon deposited during reaction are shown to be predictable based solely on the properties of the electrolytes from which these catalysts were formed.