Catalyst precursor, method of preparation and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351779-B2
Application number	US-201615561809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A catalyst precursor suitable for the Fischer Tropsch reaction is described comprising cobalt oxide supported on a porous support wherein the porous support is a ceramic foam comprising a closed cell structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a catalyst precursor comprising cobalt oxide supported on a porous support that is a ceramic foam comprising cells in a closed cell structure, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) forming the ceramic foam comprising the closed cell structure,
(ii) applying a cobalt compound to the ceramic foam to form a cobalt-containing foamed metal oxide and
(iii) heating the cobalt-containing foamed metal oxide to form the catalyst precursor, wherein the ceramic foam has a cell fraction in the range of from 50 to 95 vol % relative to the volume of the ceramic foam.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cobalt content of the catalyst precursor, expressed as Co, is in the range of 5-50% by weight.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein up to 20% by volume of the cell volume is interconnected.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the closed cell structure comprises cells having an average cell diameter in a size range of from 10 to 150 μm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic foam contains cells having cells wall, where the cell wall thicknesses is up to 500 μm with an average cell wall thickness in the range of 10-100 μm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic foam comprises titania.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ceramic foam is formed by steps comprising:
(a) forming a suspension of a ceramic powder in a liquid,
(b) adding a gas to the liquid to create a wet foam, and
(c) heating the wet foam to form the ceramic foam.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ceramic powder particle size in the suspension is in the range of 1 nm to 20 μm.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the suspension contains one or more amphiphiles that act with the ceramic powder to stabilise the wet foam.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the amphiphiles comprise one or more C2-C6 carboxylic acids or esters thereof, C2-C6 gallate esters, or alpha amino acids.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the amphiphile comprises one or more of valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine or tryptophan.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wet foam is shaped before heating.

13. The method of 12 , wherein the shaped foam is subjected to a heating step at a temperature in the range of 500-1600° C.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cobalt compound is an organic cobalt compound, a cobalt complex or a cobalt salt.

15. A method for preparing a catalyst comprising cobalt in elemental form supported on a porous support, wherein the porous support is a ceramic foam comprising a closed cell structure, wherein the ceramic foam has a cell fraction in the range of from 50 to 95 vol % relative to the volume of the ceramic foam, the method comprising applying a reducing gas stream to a Fisher Tropsch reaction catalyst precursor comprising cobalt oxide supported on a porous support that is titania comprising a closed cell structure; wherein at least a portion of the cobalt oxide is converted to elemental form.

Assignees

• Johnson Matthey Plc

Inventors

• Celani Andrea
• Davies Laura Helen
• Holt Elizabeth Margaret
• Kelly Gordon James

Classifications

• B01J21/063

  Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof · CPC title

• C04B38/10

  by using foaming agents (C04B38/02 takes precedence){or by using mechanical means, e.g. adding preformed foam} · CPC title

• C04B2235/616

  Liquid infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms · CPC title

• C04B38/0061

  closed porosity · CPC title

• B01J35/023

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic