ACTIVATED CARBON AS CATALYST SUPPORT - A REVIEW OF NEW RESEARCH RESULTS

Carbon can be gasified in the presence of catalysts. Carbon can also be used as a catalyst support for gas-solid reactions, if the temperature and pressure of the gas phase are such that the carbon support is stable under gaseous reactants of the catalytic process. A supported catalyst allows the catalytically active phase to be spread over the large internal surface of the support material. In this context carbon has favorable properties for its use as catalyst support. These properties are discussed in the light of new research results concerning the conversion of methanol, the hydrodesulfurization of thiophene and the performance of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in the presence of carbon-supported catalysts.