Catalytic formation of hydrocarbons from CO, H2 mixtures and process for maintaining catalytic activity

Abstract

Abstract A method for producing low molecular weight organic compounds, said method comprising the step of passing a mixture of CO and H2 over palladium supported on a suitable acidic metal oxide at a temperature and pressure sufficient to form said organic compounds. The palladium is highly dispersed on the chosen support and has a crystallite size of less than 100 A, preferably less than 70 A, most preferably, less than 40 A. In this state, the surface Pd atoms have a much higher activity than surface Pd atoms of very large Pd crystallites. To insure maintenance of such high activity and small crystallite size for a substantial period during the course of the reaction, the synthesis reactions are run at reactor bed temperatures below which agglomeration of crystallites is avoided, i.e., at temperatures below 350 DEG C., preferably about 325 DEG C., most preferably 300 DEG C.

Inventors

• 👤 M. Albert Vannice
• 👤 Robert L. Garten

Bibliographic Details