Abstract An investigation was done to develop and characterize the alumina supported cobalt catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis to produce biodiesel from biomass with the aim to produce alumina-supported cobalt catalysts containing 7 to 19 wt.% cobalt content. By using incipient wetness impregnation of γ-Al2O3 supports with cobalt nitrate hexahydrate with ethanol and distilled water solutions; the 14 wt.% cobalt content in catalyst was achieved. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), H2temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) and carbon monoxide chemisorption were used for the characterization of the catalysts to attain an appropriate cobalt catalyst. In order to investigate the effect of the impregnation on the crystalline size, surface area and cobalt content, three different impregnation methods with various durations were investigated. In addition, increasing the impregnation duration increased the cobalt content and its dispersion. Based on results, positive effect of the alumina support and impregnation duration on the crystallite size, surface area, and pore diameter, reducibility of the catalyst and cobalt dispersion were investigated. Thus, cobalt catalyst for using in fixed bed reactor to produce biodiesel from biomass through Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis was prepared and characterized.
