44.     ANDERSON, R. B., KRIEG, A., SELIGMAN, B., AND O’NEILL, W. E.  Studies of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.  I.  Tests of Cobalt Catalysts at Atmospheric Pressure.  Ind. Eng. Chem., vol. 39, 1947, pp. 1548-1554; Chem. Abs., vol. 42, 1948, p. 1039.

                Methods of preparation and testing of a precipitated Co : ThO₂ : MgO : kieselguhr (100 : 6 : 12 : 200) catalysts are described.  Usually tests with the same preparation of catalyst were quite reproducible, but tests with different catalysts prepared in the same manner showed very much wider deviations.  Pelleted catalysts were shown to produce more light hydrocarbons and CO₂ than the granular catalysts.  Liquid hydrocarbons containing less than 6% dissolved wax comprised about 75% of the total hydrocarbons formed in these tests at atmospheric pressure.  Experiments were made in which the flow of synthesis gas was varied with the temperature adjusted to give the same degree of conversion.  Under these conditions the degree of unsaturation increased with increase in flow.  Except for the change in unsaturation, the product distribution was not significantly different up to temperatures of 207°.  Overall activation energies of 24-26 kcal. per mol. were found for the synthesis.  The reaction mechanism and rate law of the synthesis are discussed briefly.