486.    ----------------.[CHAUX, R.]  Catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch Process.  Vol. 39, 1938, p. 391.

                  Fischer-‘Tropsch process of synthesizing petrol from CO and H₂ is finding its way into large-scale industry in the Far East.  The Mitsul Mining Co., which has acquired the rights for the system in the Far East, is building a plant capable of producing 30,000 kl. of petrol per yr. and the South Manchurian Oil Liquefaction Engineernig Co., which was founded jointly by the Mitsui Co. and the Government of Manchukuo, is also to utilize the same process in a factory to be built at Fushin.  The latter, when fully equipped, will produce 100,000 kl. per yr.

                  Success of these enterprises naturally depends in a large measure upon the efficiency and economy of the catalyst employed.  The two firms are not likely to use the catalyst discovered and recommended by Fischer himself, which is Ni containing oxides of Mn and Al as promoters and kieselguhr as carrier; but they will probably use one of those developed in this country, such as those discovered by Dr. Genitsu Kita, Professor in the Kyoto Imperial University, and the Fuel Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

                 Dr. Kita prepared a large range of CO catalysts containing Cu and the oxides of Th, U, and Mn as promoters and kaolin or kieselguhr as carrier, and discovered that the oxides of U and Th were the most efficient promoters and kieselguhr the best carrier.  A grade, which was made of 80% Co, 10% Cu, 2.5% ThO₂, 0.5% UO₂, and the balance kieselguhr gave the highest yield, 144 cc. of petrol from 1 m.³ of synthesis gas.  His experiment with Ni, however, was not wholly successful.  He concluded that the petrol yield could not be raised, at least to such an extent that it might be compared with the yields of other catalysts unless the metal was treated by complicated methods, which would make its commercial application difficult.

                 Catalysts of Ni, Co, Al, and Si had their own advantages, yet all failed to yield a large enough quantity of petrol.  Finally, Dr. Kita discovered that a Ni-Co catalyst prepared by precipitation methods was the most efficient and economical agent for the petrol synthesis.  This catalyst of 50 parts by weight of Co, 50 of Ni, 15 of Mn, 3 of ThO₂, 5 of UO₂, and 125 of kieselguhr was reduced with H₂ for 4 hours at 400° C.  When the synthesis was conducted at 190° C., it produced 166 cc. of petrol from 1 m.³ of gas treated.  A further study is to be made of the means of producing this catalyst at as low a cost as possible.

                 The Fuel Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has experimented with virtually all the catalysts made of Ni, Co, and other metals suggested by Japanese and foreign chemists.  As a result Tsutsumi reported that a Ni catalyst containing 20% Mn, 8% UO₂ and 4% ThO₂ is the best material, yielding 168.8 cc. of petrol per m.³ synthesis gas.  The reaction is carried out 200° C. and a gas flow of 6 1. per hr.