REDUCTION OF SUPPORTED COBALT CATALYSTS BY HYDROGEN

The reduction of cobalt catalysts supported on Al2O3, SiO2, and TiO2 w as investigated using a closed system filled with hydrogen gas. Effect s of support and metal loading on the rate of reduction were also disc ussed. The activation energy of reduction increased in the following o rder: Co/TiO2 < Co/Al2O3 < Co/SiO2. For different metal loadings, it w as found that the catalyst with the higher loading was more readily re ducible than that with the lower metal loading. This was confirmed usi ng the results from measurements of particle size, amount of CO adsorb ed and activity.