Effects of Sodium Precursors on the Catalytic Performance of Fe-Co/Na-Al2O3 Catalysts in CO2 Hydrogenation to Light Olefins

Thanapha  Numpilai; Chin Kui  Cheng; Metta Chareonpanich; Thongthai Witoon

Authors

Thanapha Numpilai Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University
Chin Kui Cheng Center for Catalysis and Separation (CeCaS), Khalifa University
Metta Chareonpanich Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University
Thongthai Witoon Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University

Keywords:

CO2 Hydrogenation, Fe-Co/Na-Al2O3 Catalysts, Fe-O-Na structure, Light Olefins Production, Sodium Precursors

Abstract

This study explores the effects of different sodium precursors (NaNO₃, NaHCO₃, NaCl, Na₂CO₃, Na₂SO₄) on the performance of Fe-Co/Na-Al₂O₃ catalysts in CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins. Catalysts were synthesized and subsequently subjected to detailed analysis to investigate their physical and chemical attributes using nitrogen gas adsorption (N₂-sorption), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Performance evaluation revealed varied catalytic performance among the catalysts. While CO₂ conversion increased uniformly with escalating reaction temperatures, the Fe-Co/Na₂SO₄ catalyst demonstrated subpar efficiency in CO₂ conversion and hydrocarbon selectivity, likely due to the inhibitory influence of sulfur atoms. In contrast, the FeCo-NaCl catalyst showcased superior performance, while the FeCo-Na₂CO₃ catalyst registered the highest olefins-to-paraffins (O/P) ratio due to the enhanced electron density within the Fe-O-Na structure promoting CO dissociation. However, the Fe-O-Na structure's hydrogenation-inhibiting properties resulted in reduced CO conversion and overall CO₂ conversion. This research provides valuable insights into the role of sodium precursors in catalyst formulation and their implications for CO₂ hydrogenation processes.

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