High C2-C4 selectivity in CO2 hydrogenation by particle size control of Co-Fe alloy nanoparticles wrapped on N-doped graphitic carbon

Lu Peng; Bogdan Jurca; Ana Primo; Alvaro Gordillo; Vasile I Parvulescu; Hermenegildo García

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.104252

High C₂-C₄ selectivity in CO₂ hydrogenation by particle size control of Co-Fe alloy nanoparticles wrapped on N-doped graphitic carbon

iScience. 2022 Apr 14;25(5):104252. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104252. eCollection 2022 May 20.

Authors

Lu Peng¹, Bogdan Jurca², Ana Primo¹, Alvaro Gordillo³, Vasile I Parvulescu², Hermenegildo García¹

Affiliations

¹ Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. De Los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
² Department of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest, Bdul Regina Elisabeta 4-12, Bucharest 030016, Romania.
³ BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany.

Abstract

A catalyst based on first-row Fe and Co with a record of 51% selectivity to C₂-C₄ hydrocarbons at 36% CO₂ conversion is disclosed. The factors responsible for the C₂₊ selectivity are a narrow Co-Fe particle size distribution of about 10 nm and embedment in N-doped graphitic matrix. These hydrogenation catalysts convert CO₂ into C₂-C₄ hydrocarbons, including ethane, propane, n-butane, ethylene and propylene together with methane, CO. Selectivity varies depending on the catalyst, CO₂ conversion, and the operation conditions. Operating with an H₂/CO₂ ratio of 4 at 300°C and pressure on 5 bar, a remarkable combined 30% of ethylene and propylene at 34% CO₂ conversion was achieved. The present results open the way to develop an economically attractive process for CO₂ reduction leading to products of higher added value and longer life cycles with a substantial selectivity.

Keywords: Catalysis; Chemistry; Inorganic chemistry.