Cobalt Stabilization through Mesopore Confinement on TiO₂ Support for Fischer-Tropsch Reaction

Cobalt supported on mesostructured TiO₂ catalysts has been prepared by a wet-impregnation method. The Co/TiO₂ catalytic system showed better catalytic performance after support calcination at 380 °C. Co nanoparticles appeared well distributed along the mesopore channels of TiO₂. After reduction pretreatment and reaction, a drastic structural change leads to mesopore structure collapse and the dispersion of the Co nanoparticles on the external surface. Along this complex process, Co species first form discrete nanoparticles inside the pore and then diffuse out as the pore collapses. Through this confinement, a strong metal-support interaction effect is hindered, and highly stable metal active sites lead to better performance for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction toward C₅₊ products.