Multiple-functional capsule catalysts: a tailor-made confined reaction environment for the direct synthesis of middle isoparaffins from syngas

A capsule catalyst for isoparaffin synthesis based on Fischer-Tropsch reaction was designed by coating a H-ZSM-5 membrane onto the surface of the pre-shaped Co/SiO(2) pellet. Morphological and chemical analysis showed that the capsule catalyst had a core-shell structure. A compact, integral shell of H-ZSM-5 crystallized firmly on the Co/SiO(2) substrate without crack. Syngas passed through the zeolite membrane to reach the Co/SiO(2) catalyst to be converted, and all hydrocarbons formed with straight chain structure must enter the zeolite channels to undergo hydrocracking as well as isomerization in this tailor-made confined reaction environment. A narrow, anti-Anderson-Schultz-Flory law product distribution was observed on these capsule catalysts. Contrary to a mechanical mixture of H-ZSM-5 and Co/SiO(2), C(10+) hydrocarbons were suppressed completely on this novel capsule catalyst, and the selectivity of middle isoparaffins was considerably improved. The carbon number distribution of the products depended on the thickness of the zeolite membrane, and it was possible to selectively synthesize specified distillates, such as gasoline-range, or heavier hydrocarbons from syngas directly, by simply adjusting the thickness of the zeolite membrane of the capsule catalyst. This kind of capsule catalysts can be extended to various consecutive reaction systems as the shell and core components are independent catalysts for different reactions. At the same time, shape selectivity and space-confined effects can be expected for the reactant, intermediates and product of the sequential reactions.     

Kinetics of the Fischer-tropsch reaction

Long carbon chains: Self-assembly of monomeric carbon intermediates into long-chain hydrocarbons on catalytically reactive surface was studied when full reversibility of the chain growth is included in the kinetic model. Using Br?nsted-Evans-Polanyi relations, the maximum chain growth as a function of the surface reactivity is predicted.     

Study of an iron-based Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalyst incorporated with SiO2

The effect of adding SiO₂ to a precipitated iron-based Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalyst was investigated using N₂ physical adsorption, H₂ differential thermogravimetric analysis, temperature-programmed reduction/desorption (TPR/TPD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The FTS performances of the catalysts with or without SiO₂ were compared in a fixed bed reactor. The characterization results indicated that SiO₂ facilitates the high dispersion of Fe₂O₃ and significantly influences the Fe/Cu and Fe/K contacts, which play an important role in the surface basicity, reduction and carburization behaviors, as well as the FTS performances. The incorporation of SiO₂ enhances the Fe/Cu contact, further enlarges the H₂ adsorption and promotes the reduction of Fe₂O₃ → FeO_x, while the transformation of FeO_x → Fe is suppressed probably due to the strong Fe–SiO₂ interaction. SiO₂ indirectly weakens the surface basicity and severely suppresses the carburization and CO adsorption of the catalyst. In the FTS reaction, it was found that SiO₂ decreases the FTS initial activity but improves the catalyst stability. Due to the lower surface basicity than the catalyst without SiO₂, the catalyst incorporated with SiO₂ has higher selectivity to light hydrocarbons and methane and decreased selectivity to the olefins and heavy hydrocarbons.     

合成气甲烷化反应积炭过程的热力学分析

建立了煤制替代天然气工艺中合成气甲烷化过程的热力学计算模型,并对该反应体系的10个反应进行了分析计算,得到了各组分的平衡组成和各反应的标准化学平衡常数.研究了反应温度、操作压力、原料气组分浓度和产品气循环比等对催化剂床层积炭的影响,发现容易导致积炭的热力学条件为550~800 ℃的反应温度和0.1~1.5 MPa的操作压力,且温度在700 ℃左右、操作压力低于1.0 MPa时催化剂床层积炭量最大.本研究针对催化剂床层积炭规律提出了低温、相对高压、合理的原料气组成是有利于缓解催化剂床层积炭、提高产品收率及保持催化剂活性的优化反应操作条件.     

Synthesis new Co–Mn mixed oxide catalyst for the production of light olefins by tuning the catalyst structure

In order to increase the catalyst activity for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS), the preparation methods of two new catalysts were studied. The chemically identical bimetallic Co–Mn/Al₂O₃ catalysts were synthesized by different synthetic methods: (a) via thermal decomposition of the complex [Co_1.33Mn_0.667(C₇H₃NO₄)₂(H₂O)₅].2H₂O ( 1 ) and (b) by the impregnation technique. The complex was characterized by the single‐crystal analysis, elemental analysis, and Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy. Both catalysts were characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area, hydrogen temperature‐programmed reduction (H₂‐TPR), and H₂‐chemisorption. The catalysts' activity was investigated for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis in a fixed bed microreactor. Higher activity was obtained for the catalyst prepared by thermal decomposition of the inorganic precursor due to its small particle size, superior dispersion, and higher surface area. The results show that the catalyst prepared thermal decomposition has 21% ethylene, 10% propylene, and 50% C₅⁺ selectivity, while methane selectivity of this catalyst is 11% at 250°C. On the other hand, the catalyst obtained by the impregnation method displays 15% ethylene, 8% propylene, 29% C₅⁺_, and 29% methane selectivity at the same temperature.     

Effect of interaction between potassium and structural promoters on Fischer–Tropsch performance in iron-based catalysts

The Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) performances of iron-based catalysts promoted with/without potassium compounds containing different acidic structural promoters (Al₂O₃, SiO₂, and ZSM-5) were studied in this research. Characterization technologies of temperature-programmed reduction with CO (CO-TPR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer effect spectroscopy (MES) were used to study the effect of K–structural promoter interactions on the carburization behaviors of catalysts. It showed that the addition states of potassium (K–Al₂O₃, K–SiO₂, K–ZSM-5 and K-free) have a significant influence on the formation of iron carbides, which shows a following sequence in promotion of carburization: K–Al₂O₃ > K–SiO₂ > K–ZSM-5 > K-free. The FTS reaction test was performed in a fixed bed reactor. It is found that Fe/K–Al₂O₃ catalyst leads to the highest CO conversion, Fe/K–ZSM-5 catalyst shows the highest H₂ conversion, and Fe/K-free catalyst shows the lowest CO and H₂ conversion. As for the hydrocarbon selectivity, Fe/K–SiO₂ catalyst yields the lowest methane and the highest C₅⁺ products, Fe/K–ZSM-5 catalyst yields higher methane and the highest liquid hydrocarbon product, whereas Fe/K-free catalyst yields the highest methane and the lowest C₅⁺ products. These results can be explained from the interaction between potassium and structure promoters, and the spillover of reactants or intermediates from Fe sites to the surfaces of structural promoters.     

Capturing the Genesis of an Active Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Catalyst with Operando X‐ray Nanospectroscopy

A state‐of‐the‐art operando spectroscopic technique is applied to Co/TiO₂ catalysts, which account for nearly half of the world's transportation fuels produced by Fischer–Tropsch catalysis. This allows determination of, at a spatial resolution of approximately 50 nm, the interdependence of formed hydrocarbon species in the inorganic catalyst. Observed trends show intra‐ and interparticular heterogeneities previously believed not to occur in particles under 200 μm. These heterogeneities are strongly dependent on changes in H₂/CO ratio, but also on changes thereby induced on the Co and Ti valence states. We have captured the genesis of an active FTS particle over its propagation to steady‐state operation, in which microgradients lead to the gradual saturation of the Co/TiO₂ catalyst surface with long chain hydrocarbons (i.e., organic film formation).     

Functionalization of mesoporous carbon with superbasic MgO nanoparticles for the efficient synthesis of sulfinamides

Highly basic MgO nanoparticles with different sizes have been successfully immobilized over mesoporous carbon with different pore diameters by a simple wet-impregnation method. The prepared catalysts have been characterized by various sophisticated techniques, such as XRD, nitrogen adsorption, electron energy loss spectroscopy, high-resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the temperature-programmed desorption of CO(2). XRD results reveal that the mesostructure of the support is retained even after the huge loading of MgO nanoparticles inside the mesochannels of the support. It is also demonstrated that the particle size and dispersion of the MgO nanoparticles on the support can be finely controlled by the simple adjustment of the textural parameters of the supports. Among the support materials studied, mesoporous carbon with the largest pore diameter and large pore volume offered highly crystalline small-size cubic-phase MgO nanoparticles with a high dispersion. The basicity of the MgO-supported mesoporous carbons can also be controlled by simply changing the loading of the MgO and the pore diameter of the support. These materials have been employed as heterogeneous catalysts for the first time in the selective synthesis of sulfinamides. Among the catalysts investigated, the support with the large pore diameter and high loading of MgO showed the highest activity with an excellent yield of sulfinamides. The catalyst also showed much higher activity than the pristine MgO nanoparticles. The effects of the reaction parameters, including the solvents and reaction temperature, and textural parameters of the supports in the activity of the catalyst have also been demonstrated. Most importantly, the catalyst was found to be highly stable, showing excellent activity even after the third cycle of reaction.     

第一性原理研究C在Fe(111)表面和次表面的积炭机理

使用密度泛函方法对C原子在Fe(111)表面吸附团聚和次表层的吸附扩散进行了研究。在炭覆盖度θ_C <1 ML时,C主要以孤立的原子态存在并导致表面重构;1 ML≤θ_C ≤2 ML,"mC₂+nC"为主要的吸附形式;θ_C≥2 ML时,复杂的吸附形态比如碳链和岛状碳团簇开始生成。这些复杂岛状碳团簇是Fe(111)表面石墨沉积或碳纳米管生长的成核中心。在次表层,C原子在八面体位稳定存在。C在表面的迁移能垒为0.45 eV,由表面迁移到次表面的的能垒为0.73 eV。虽然C₂团簇的生成是热力学有利的,但是C向次表层的迁移动力学上占优。