Nanowire accumulated Fe2O3/SiO2 spherical catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

A catalyst consisting of SiO2 nanowires and highly dispersed Fe2O3 (denoted NW-FS) was synthesized in situ by iron-assisted amine-vapor-transport treatment. NW-FS was prepared by the direct transformation of an industrial spherical Fe2O3/SiO2 catalyst (denoted indus-FS). NW-FS was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2-sorption measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction. NW-FS exhibited a high selectivity for light olefins, especially for ethene in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This was because of the highly dispersed Fe2O3 and low diffusion resistance of its open structure. The C2–C4 olefin/paraffin ratio was 3.3, which was higher than that of indus-FS at 1.9.

Graphical AbstractA Fe2O3/SiO2 catalyst consisting of a SiO2 nanowire architecture containing highly dispersed Fe2O3 was fabricated and used in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The catalyst exhibited a high light hydrocarbon selectivity and large olefin/paraffin ratio because of its open support structure and small supported Fe2O3 nanoparticles.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide