Near Zero-Carbon Olefin Production Route – China Research
- The research, published Thursday, October 26, 2023, in the journal Science, addresses a long-standing challenge in FTS - the unavoidable formation of carbon dioxide.
- Currently, iron-based catalysts dominate global FTS capacity, accounting for over two-thirds of the total.Though, these catalysts inherently promote a water-gas shift reaction, which generates ample amounts of carbon...
- The researchers discovered that adding a small amount of methyl bromide - just five parts per million (ppm) - to the syngas allows for precise control over the...
Chinese Researchers Achieve near-Zero CO₂ Emissions in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
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– A team of Chinese researchers has developed a catalytic tuning strategy that dramatically reduces carbon dioxide by-products during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), perhaps revolutionizing green syngas conversion and low-carbon chemical manufacturing.
Breakthrough in Syngas Conversion
The research, published Thursday, October 26, 2023, in the journal Science, addresses a long-standing challenge in FTS – the unavoidable formation of carbon dioxide. FTS is a crucial process for converting syngas (a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen) into liquid fuels and valuable chemicals like olefins. It’s a key technology for utilizing resources like coal, natural gas, and biomass.
Currently, iron-based catalysts dominate global FTS capacity, accounting for over two-thirds of the total.Though, these catalysts inherently promote a water-gas shift reaction, which generates ample amounts of carbon dioxide and wastes valuable carbon resources.
A Precise Catalytic Solution
The researchers discovered that adding a small amount of methyl bromide – just five parts per million (ppm) - to the syngas allows for precise control over the reaction pathways on the iron catalyst’s surface. This seemingly minor adjustment effectively “switches off” the carbon dioxide-forming route.
Experimental results demonstrate a important reduction in carbon dioxide selectivity, dropping from approximately 30 percent to below 1 percent, achieving near-zero emissions. This represents a substantial enhancement in the efficiency and environmental impact of FTS.
Implications for China’s Chemical Industry
According to Professor Ma Ding of Peking University, the formation of carbon dioxide by-products has been a major obstacle to upgrading China’s coal-to-liquid and syngas chemical industries. “Our study delivers a simple yet effective technical fix that enables green and low-carbon production of olefins or liquid fuels,” Ma stated.
The researchers believe that combining this new strategy with renewable hydrogen and low-carbon dioxide coal-gasification could pave the way for decarbonizing coal-to-liquid and coal-to-chemicals processes. This could considerably contribute to China’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and transition to a more lasting industrial model.