3153a.     SEELIG, H. S., WECK, H. I., VOSS, D. J., AND ZISSON, J.  Hydrocarbon Synthesis Studies.  Effects of Addition of Alkali to an Iron Catalyst.  Am. Chem. Soc., 122d Meeting abs., September 1952, p. 4-0.

        Experiments in both fixed-bed and fluidized-bed hydrocarbon synthesis reactors have shown that addition of K₂CO₃ promoter as a dry solid to Fe will produce a catalyst giving CO conversions and product yields comparable to those obtained with a catalyst prepared by a conventional aqueous impregnation method.  Addition of alkali increases CO conversion, the yields of high molecular weight products and oxygenated compounds, the % of olefins in the low-molecular weight hydrocarbons, and frequently the carbide content of the catalyst.  Fe₃C is a likely choice as the catalytically active Fe component.  The effects produced by addition of K₂CO₃ can be explained by assuming that the catalyst has a defect or p-type character which is modified by the promoter.