Surface Study of Pumice Supported Nickel Catalysts Used in the Hydrogenation of CO

A series of pumice supported nickel catalysts used in the CO hydrogenation reaction were characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the XPS peaks have shown the effect of the calcination conditions on the chemical state of the nickel before hydrogenation and the particle size of the metal after reduction. Calcination at high temperature determined enrichment of sodium ions on the surface of the support and also on the metal particles. After exposure to the gas mixture CO/H2, formation of nickel carbides and other carbon species was checked. The correlation found between the surface atomic ratio Na/Si and the activity and selectivity of the ca…