Ce travail de doctorat s’inscrit dans le cadre de la recherche fondamentale inhérente à la réaction catalytique d’hydrogénation du CO, qui permet de produire du pétrole de synthèse à partir des autres ressources fossiles disponibles à l’état naturel (gaz naturel et charbon).<p>Les objectifs de ce travail s’articulent autour de deux méthodes originales, respectivement de préparation et de caractérisation des catalyseurs. La première permet la formation in situ de catalyseurs par voie oxalique, alors que la seconde est une méthode de cinétique transitoire chimique appliquée à la réaction CO + H2.<p><p>Dans un premier temps, la préparation de catalyseurs « modèles » de cobalt et de nickel a été réalisée en faisant intervenir un oxalate comme précurseur à la formation in situ du catalyseur. L’étude de cette méthode de préparation par « voie oxalique » nous a tout d’abord permis de discuter du mécanisme de formation de l’oxalate, que nous envisageons comme une polymérisation faisant intervenir des ligands oxalate tétradentates établissant des ponts entre les atomes métalliques.<p>La décomposition thermique de l’oxalate de cobalt a été étudiée dans un second temps. Nous nous somme penchés en particulier sur l’influence de l’atmosphère de la décomposition sur la nature du catalyseur obtenu in fine. Utiliser l’hydrogène comme gaz réducteur permet d’obtenir des catalyseurs purement métalliques développant une surface spécifique intéressante.<p><p>Ces catalyseurs ont été utilisés pour les études cinétiques transitoires chimiques de la réaction CO + H2. Les phénomènes transitoires observés ont permis de corréler les hypothèses formulées pour l’élaboration d’un mécanisme original initialement proposé par A. Frennet. En particulier, la dépendance des vitesses réactionnelles aux pressions partielles de CO et d’hydrogène permet d’envisager un mécanisme d’allongement de chaîne basé sur la réactivité d’un intermédiaire réactionnel avec les réactifs en phase gazeuse. Au vu des recouvrements de surface sous conditions réactionnelles ainsi que des phénomènes transitoires observés, cet intermédiaire est constitué de plusieurs atomes (carbone, oxygène et hydrogène), et est à l’origine de la formation des produits de la réaction (CH4 et alcanes à plus longues chaînes), dont la désorption en phase gazeuse suit un processus en deux étapes lors duquel l’influence de l’hydrogène est primordiale.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

During this PhD thesis, cobalt (Co) catalysts have been prepared, characterized and studied in the carbon monoxide hydrogenation (CO+H2) reaction (also known as “Fischer-Tropsch” (FT) reaction). In industry, the FT synthesis aims at producing long chain hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuels. The interest is that the reactants (CO and H2) are obtained from other carbonaceous sources than crude oil: natural gas, coal, biomass or even petroleum residues. As it is well known that the worldwide crude oil reserves will be depleted in a few decades, the FT reaction represents an attractive alternative for the production of various fuels. Moreover, this reaction can also be used to produce high value specialty chemicals (long chain alcohols, light olefins…).<p>Two different types of catalysts have been investigated during this thesis: cobalt with magnesia used as support or dispersant (Co/MgO) and cobalt with silica used as support (Co/SiO2). Each catalyst from the first class is prepared by precipitation of a mixed Co/Mg oxalate in acetone. This coprecipitation is followed by a thermal decomposition under reductive atmosphere leading to a mixed Co/MgO catalyst. On the other hand, Co/SiO2 catalysts are prepared by impregnation of a commercial silica support with a chloroform solution containing Co nanoparticles. This impregnation is then followed by a thermal activation under reductive atmosphere.<p>The mixed Co/Mg oxalates and the resulting Co/MgO catalysts have been extensively characterized in order to gain a better understanding of the composition, the structure and the morphology of these materials: thermal treatments under reductive and inert atmospheres (followed by MS, DRIFTS, TGA and DTA), BET surface area measurements, XRD and electron microscopy studies have been performed. Moreover, an original in situ technique for measuring the H2 chemisorption surface area of catalysts has been developed and used over our catalysts.<p>The performances of the Co/MgO and Co/SiO2 catalysts have then been evaluated in the CO+H2 reaction at atmospheric pressure. Chemical Transient Kinetics (CTK) experiments have been carried out in order to obtain information about the reaction kinetics and mechanism and the nature of the catalyst active surface under reaction conditions. The influence of several experimental parameters (temperature, H2 and CO partial pressures, total volumetric flow rate) and the effect of passivation are also discussed with regard to the catalyst behavior.<p>Our results indicate that the FT active surface of Co/MgO 10/1 (molar ratio) is entirely covered by carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms, most probably associated as surface complexes (possibly formate species). Thus, this active surface does not present the properties of a metallic Co surface (this has been proved by performing original experiments consisting in switching from the CO+H2 reaction to the propane hydrogenolysis reaction (C3H8+H2) which is sensitive to the metallic nature of the catalyst). CTK experiments have also shown that gaseous CO is the monomer responsible for chain lengthening in the FT reaction (and not any CHx surface intermediates as commonly believed). Moreover, CO chemisorption has been found to be irreversible under reaction conditions.<p>The CTK results obtained over Co/SiO2 are quite different and do not permit to draw sharp conclusions concerning the FT reaction mechanism. More detailed studies would have to be carried out over these samples.<p>Finally, Co/MgO catalysts have also been studied on a combined DRIFTS/MS experimental set-up in Belfast. CTK and Steady-State Isotopic Transient Kinetic Analysis (SSITKA) experiments have been carried out. While formate and methylene (CH2) groups have been detected by DRIFTS during the FT reaction, the results indicate that these species play no role as active intermediates. These formates are most probably located on MgO or at the Co/MgO interface, while methylene groups stand for skeleton CH2 in either hydrocarbon or carboxylate. Unfortunately, formate/methylene species have not been detected by DRIFTS over pure Co catalyst without MgO, because of the full signal absorption.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished