The effects of co-feeding CO2 and methane
on the performance
of La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 (LSF) were studied
with different CO2 concentrations. The reaction was conducted
in chemical looping mode at 900 °C and a weight hourly space
velocity (WHSV; g methane/g catalyst/h) of 3 h–1 during 15 min reduction (10 mol % methane with 0–1.8% CO2 in nitrogen) and 10 min oxidation (10 mol % oxygen in nitrogen)
cycles. Analyses of X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
data of spent materials indicated that CO2 reacts with
the oxygen vacancies on the LSF surface during methane reduction,
increasing CO selectivity in POM. As the CO2 feed concentration
increased to an optimal value (1.6% CO2), the CO selectivity
increased to 94%. Under those conditions, the EOR (extent of reduction)
of LSF, defined as the amount of oxygen depleted from the lattice,
was 0.18–0.15 mmol/min·gcat. Reducing the EOR
to 0.09–0.08 mmol/min·gcat (1.8% CO2) led to partial methane combustion. These results were confirmed
by altering the operating conditions (WHSV = 2 and 1 h–1, T = 950 °C) and CO2 feed concentrations
while extending the reduction time. Operation in an optimal EOR range
(0.17–0.10 mmol/min·gcat) that enabled optimal CO selectivity
(>90%) was obtained without oxidative regeneration for the 18 h
reduction
time.