COBALT CATALYSTS SUPPORTED ON ACTIVATED CARBONS - PREPARATION AND BEHAVIOR IN THE HYDROGENATION OF CARBON OXIDES

Two activated carbons with different pore texture obtained from olive stones have been used as supports for Co catalysts. The supported cata lysts were prepared from Co-2(CO)(8) following either a sublimation or an evaporation technique or from cobalt nitrate following an impregna tion technique. The catalysts once reduced were characterized by H-2 c hemisorption and transmission electron microscopy. H-2 chemisorption w as a nonactivated process but was reversible depending on the mean par ticle size and the method of preparation. The supports were hydrogasif ied during the reduction process, which was a cause of a decrease in d ispersion. The supported catalysts were tested for the hydrogenation o f CO and CO2 and in both reactions they were structure-insensitive in the dispersion range studied here (5-32%).