Stabilized transition alumina catalyst support from boehmite and catalysts made therefrom

A method of making a stabilized transition alumina catalyst support comprising:

• (a) steaming a transition alumina comprising a phase selected from the group consisting of γ-Al2O3, δ-Al2O3, θ-Al2O3and any combination thereof, said steaming being carried out at conditions sufficient to at least partially transform the transition alumina to at least one phase selected from the group consisting of boehmite, pseudoboebmite and combination thereof, and to form a boehmite alumina, wherein said sufficient conditions comprise a temperature between 180° C. and 300° C.;
• (b) introducing by impregnation to the boehmite alumina at least one structural stabilizer precursor to provide a stabilizer-containing boehmite alumina;
• (c) optionally, drying the stabilizer-containing boebmite alumina;
• and
• (d) calcining the stabilizer-containing boebmite alumina at a temperature between 400° C. and 900° C. to form a stabilized transition alumina catalyst support, said stabilized transition alumina catalyst support comprising a γ-Al2O3phase and a pore volume ranging from 0.2 cm3/g to 0.6 cm3/g.

A method for making a stabilized transition alumina catalyst support and preparing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst supported on said stabilized transition alumina catalyst support, said method comprising the following steps for making a stabilized transition alumina catalyst support:

• (i) steaming a transition alumina cornprisin a hase selected from the group consisting of γ-Al2O3, δ-Al2O3, θ-Al2O3 and any combination thereof, said steaming step being carried out at conditions sufficient to at least partially transform the transition alumina to at least one phase selected from the group consisting of boehmite, pseudoboehmite and combination thereof, and to form a boehmite material, wherein said sufficient conditions comprise a temperature between 180° C. and 300° C.;
• (ii) before or after the steaming (i), impregnating at least one structural stabilizer, whereby a stabilizer-containing boehmite alumina is generated from steps (i) and (ii);
• and
• (iii) then calcining the stabilizer-containing boehmite alumina at a temperature between 400° C. and 900° C. to yield the stabilized transition alumina catalyst support, said stabilized transition alumina catalyst support cornprising a γ-Al2O3 phase and a pore volume from about 0.2 cm3/g to about 0.6 cm3/g;
• and
• said method further comprising the following steps for making the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst:
• (a) introducing at least one catalytic metal precursor to the stabilized transition alumina catalyst support of step (iii) to provide a catalyst-impregnated support;
• (b) optionally, introducing at least one cocatalytic metal precursor to the catalyst-impregnated support to provide a cocatalyst-impregnated support;
• (c) optionally, introducing at least one promoter precursor to the cocatalyst-impregnated support to provide a promoter-impregnated support;
• (d) optionally, drying the catalyst-impregnated support at conditions effective for removing any solvents used in introducing at least one of the precursors of steps (a), (b) and (c), wherein drying provides a dried catalyst-impregnated support;
• and
• (e) calcining the catalyst-impregnated support at conditions effective for decomposing at least one of the precursors of steps (a), (b) and (c) to the corresponding oxides.

A process for producing a product mixture comprising paraffinic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• contacting a reactant gas mixture comprising synthesis gas with a catalyst under conditions and in a reactor effective for at least partially transforming the synthesis gas to the product mixture, wherein the catalyst comprises
• a stabilized transition alumina catalyst support comprising a γ-Al2O3 phase and a pore volume between 0.2 cm3/g and 0.6 cm3/g,
• at least one catalytic metal;
• optionally at least one cocatalytic metal;
• and optionally at least one promoter,
• wherein the stabilized transition alumina catalyst support is characterized by the presence of at least one structural stabilizer selected from the group consisting of boron, magnesium, silicon, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, strontium, zirconium, barium, selenium and the lanthanides, including lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium, and further
• wherein the stabilized transition alumina catalyst support is made by a method comprising steaming a transition alumina comprising a phase selected from the group consisting of γ-Al2O3, δ-Al2O3, θ-Al2O3 and any combination thereof at conditions comprising a temperature between 180° C. and 300° C. sufficient to at least partially transform said transition alumina to at least one phase selected from the group consisting of boehmite, pseudoboehmite, and combination thereof, and to form a boehmite material, said steaming step being carried out before or after impregnation of a structural stabilizer precursor, whereby a stabilizer-containing boehmite alumina is generated, and then calcining the stabilizer-containing boehmite alumina at a temperature between 400° C. and 900° C. to yield said stabilized transition alumina catalyst support.