Functionalized Carbon Materials in Syngas Conversion

Abstract

Functionalized carbon materials are widely used in heterogeneous catalysis due to their unique properties such as adjustable surface properties, excellent thermal conductivity, high surface areas, tunable porosity, and moderate interactions with guest metals. The transformation of syngas into hydrocarbons (known as the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis) or oxygenates is an exothermic reaction and is typically catalyzed by transition metals dispersed on functionalized supports. Various carbon materials have been employed in syngas conversions not only for improving the performance or decreasing the dosage of expensive active metals but also for building model catalysts for fundamental research. This article provides a critical review on recent advances in the utilization of carbon materials, in particular the recently developed functionalized nanocarbon materials, for syngas conversions to either hydrocarbons or oxygenates. The unique features of carbon materials in dispersing metal nanoparticles, heteroatom doping, surface modification, and building special nanoarchitectures are highlighted. The key factors that control the reaction course and the reaction mechanism are discussed to gain insights for the rational design of efficient carbon‐supported catalysts for syngas conversions. The challenges and future opportunities in developing functionalized carbon materials for syngas conversions are briefly analyzed.

Controllable assembly of Fe3O4–Fe3C@MC by in situ doping of Mn for CO2 selective hydrogenation to light olefins

“…Structure and properties of the catalysts Generally, FeC x NPs are synthesized by using carboncontaining gas (CO, CH 4 , C 2 H 4 ) to carbonize FeO x NPs at high temperature. 12,19 Disadvantages such as high energy consumption, large crystal size, and surface carbon deposits hinder the application of this method. Porous materials supporting active sites not only improve the dispersion of the active sites but also adjust the properties of the active sites by modifying the interaction between the support and the active sites.…”

“…6 Thermocatalytic processes for CO 2 utilization accompanied by excellent performance, including high conversion and adjustable product distribution, have been explored by many scientists recently. [10][11][12] Many products can be obtained by thermocatalytic hydrogenation of CO 2 , such as one-carbon molecules (CO, CH 4 , CH 3 OH, and HCOOH), and multi-carbon chemicals (light olefins, fuels, and oxygenates). 13,14 Among the above products, light olefins (C 2 = -C 6 = ) can be used as monomers or intermediates to synthesize fine chemicals, which are competitive high value-added products.…”

“…(5) The graphene shell confines the metal oxide or transition metal carbide, which boosts their thermal stability. 12,23 There is no doubt that carbon materials bring light to the design and synthesis of high activity catalysts of CO 2 hydrogenation. In our recent work, N-doped mesoporous carbon confined heterojunction active sites showed excellent activity and stability for converting CO 2 to light olefins, which indicated that the ratio of FeO x / FeC x and FeC x species plays a vital role in boosting the yield of light olefins.…”

Detailed formation process of Co@C catalysts and the influence of structural regulation on catalytic properties

“…Co-Based nanoparticles supported on carbon materials are solid catalysts that are widely employed in various fields, such as electrocatalytic reduction, selective hydrogenation, and syngas conversion. [1][2][3][4] Different carbon materials, such as activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and mesoporous carbon, can be used as supports for Co-based catalysts. [5][6][7][8][9][10] The catalytic performance of such catalysts highly depends on the phase, particle size, and location of Co nanoparticles, as well as the textural structure and surface properties of carbon supporters.…”

Recycling of Waste Paraffin Wax by the Addition of SiO2 Nano-Powders to Improve Thermal Conductivity

“…Ceramic nano-particles are potential candidates in the development of nanocomposites for many technological applications in mechanical, electric sciences, etc. [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Nano-powders have been used effectively to enhance thermal conductivity regarding the composite material [7].…”