Literature Survey on

Cobalt Aluminates

What is Cobalt Aluminate?

Alumina supported cobalt readily

forms surface compounds that
only reduce at elevated
temperatures
Compound formation between
cobalt and the support Alumina,
may occur during pre-treatment
and/or FT reaction.
Water vapor added during
reduction with hydrogen
enhances formation of aluminate
type species.
Substitution of Co3+ ions in Co3O4
spinel structure by Al3+ ions
causes difficult reducibility of
cobalt catalysts calcined at
higher temperatures.

During typical reduction of

supported cobalt at low
temperatures (e.g., 350400
C), a sizeable fraction of the
cobalt remains in the oxide
form, mainly as CoO
Nonreducible, surface, or
subsurface cobalt aluminate-like
compounds are likely to form
when Co0 or surface Co2+ ions
are well dispersed on the
alumina surface
Hydrated alumina stabilize
these cobalt oxidic species in
strong interaction with the
support
During prolonged treatment at
temperature, they may diffuse
into subsurface regions resulting
in nonreducible cobalt aluminate
formation.

Problems Caused by Co Aluminates

in the FT Process

At low loadings (e.g., < 5%), 60 to 80% of the cobalt is

present as CoO strongly bound to the support surface, i.e.,
a surface cobalt aluminate, CoO*Al2O3, which requires very
high temperatures to reduce
It is well known that in CoAl2O4, Co2+ ions sit in a spinel
structure. The term nonreducible is applied because this
cobalt aluminate can only be reduced above 800900C
The properties of alumina make it difficult to control the
temperature of the catalyst-bed by forming hot spots due to
the lower thermal conductivity of alumina.

Prevention of formation of Cobalt

Aluminates