Sci. China Chem., 2017, 60, 1382-1385. doi: 10.1007/s11426-017-9038-5
Reaction coupling has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy for the direct conversion of syngas (H2/CO) into hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals with selectivities that can break the Anderson-Schulz-Flory distribution, which limits the selectivity of target products over conventional Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. The integration of Co or Ru nanoparticles for C‒C chain growth and mesoporous zeolites such as H-meso-ZSM-5 for selective C‒C cleavage can result in gasoline- or diesel-range hydrocarbons with selectivity of 75%‒80%. The coupling of an active component (e.g., Zn-doped ZrO2) for the activation of CO into a C1intermediate (e.g., methanol) with a component (such as SAPO-34) for precise C‒C coupling offers a new route beyond Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and the design of bifunctional catalysts via this route can produce lower olefins with selectivity as high as 80%.
This Perspective was an invited contribution to an issue with special topic on strategies for developing energy-related physical chemistry. The cover image was invited and was designed by Cheng Zhou, who is currently a master student in our group. Now in our group there are about 20 students (including master and PhD students) working on syngas and CO2 conversion. Our group is in charge of several important projects on syngas conversion supported by National Key Research and Development Program of Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Technology Institute Co., Ltd. and Shell Global Solutions International B.V.
Group Photo of Syngas-Conversion Team
