ZIF‐67 based nano sized-cobalt oxides via pyrolysis and cold plasma treatments for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

ZIF-67 type metal organic framework (MOF) has been synthesized and pyrolyzed at six different temperatures to prepare cobalt nanoparticles encapsulated by carbon. In the pyrolysis step, N content of the organic linker in ZIF-67 synthesis helped to prepare N doped carbon and Co-N moieties. Dielectric barrier plasma (DBP) has been used in succession with pyrolysis to benefit from its less destructive effects during decomposition to generate more active sites through lattice distortion. All catalysts have been characterized and tested for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS). Nano sized cobalt oxide structures upon pyrolysis and calcination have been verified. Upon DBP treatment, structural and compositional changes have been observed as well. Regarding FTS performance of these catalysts, plasma and non-plasma treated samples showed different patterns of conversion and products selectivity during FTS. Higher C₂-C₄ olefin and C₅₊ selectivity at the expense of paraffin selectivity was the most noticeable point for the plasma-assisted catalysts. FTS results for as-synthesized catalysts illustrated a novel method for plasma-assisted MOF-derived catalysts with modified surface physiochemical characteristics to simultaneously balance competing CO dissociation and chain growth reactions.