Xiaohui Sun

Metal organic framework-mediated synthesis of highly active and stable Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

Depletion of crude oil resources and environmental concerns have driven a worldwide research on alternative processes for the production of commodity chemicals. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a process for flexible production of key chemicals from synthesis gas originating from non-petroleum-based sources. Although the use of iron-based catalysts would be preferred over the widely used cobalt, manufacturing methods that prevent their fast deactivation because of sintering, carbon deposition and phase changes have proven challenging. Here we present a strategy to produce highly dispersed iron carbides embedded in a matrix of porous carbon. Very high iron loadings (>40 wt %) are achieved while maintaining an optimal dispersion of the active iron carbide phase when a metal organic framework is used as catalyst precursor. The unique iron spatial confinement and the absence of large iron particles in the obtained solids minimize catalyst deactivation, resulting in high active and stable operation.

Metal organic frameworks as precursors for the manufacture of advanced catalytic materials

The use of metal organic frameworks as hard templates for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts is thoroughly reviewed. In this critical article, the main factors to consider when using a MOF as a sacrificial template are first discussed. Then, the existing literature on the topic is reviewed, classifying the different examples according to the MOF metal. Finally, the main advantages, limitations and perspectives of the so-called MOF mediated synthesis are outlined.

Effect of pretreatment atmosphere on the activity and selectivity of Co/mesoHZSM-5 for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

The structure and catalytic performance of bifunctional 10 wt% Co/mesoHZSM-5 catalysts pretreated under different conditions, i.e. in stagnant air, or in a flow of air, N2, or 1 vol% NO/Ar, were investigated for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) under fixed operating conditions of T = 513 K, P = 15 bar, H2/CO = 1. The combination of acid sites and FTS functionality leads to the direct formation of gasoline range hydrocarbons and suppresses the formation of C20+ products. The highest activity, C5–C11 selectivity and lowest CH4 selectivity were obtained for Co/mesoHZSM-5 catalyst pretreated in stagnant air. Pretreatment in gas flow resulted in a lower activity and C5–C11 selectivity, and in a higher CH4 selectivity, in particular for samples pretreated with NO. Characterization shows that this underperformance is due to changes in the Co3O4 particle size distribution and cobalt reducibility, and is related to the cobalt loading relative to the mesopore area. Pretreatment in air or N2 flow increased the number of small Co3O4 particles and increased cobalt reducibility by suppressing the formation of highly dispersed cobalt, e.g. cobalt silicates, in strong interaction with mesoHZSM-5. Pretreatment in a 1 vol% NO/Ar flow significantly increased cobalt dispersion further, decreasing the cobalt reducibility due to the strong interaction between cobalt and mesoHZSM-5. Based on both TEM and in situ DRIFTS studies, the optimum performance of Co/mesoHZSM-5 pretreated in stagnant air could be attributed to a lower fraction of small cobalt particles, known to promote the formation of CH4via hydrogenolysis or direct methanation. Additionally, small cobalt particles are more susceptible to be oxidized under FT conditions, thereby decreasing FT activity and indirectly increasing CH4 selectivity by increasing the H2/CO ratio through the water gas shift reaction.

Metal–Organic Framework Mediated Cobalt/Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Hybrids as Efficient and Chemoselective Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes

A Co@N‐doped carbon (Co@NC) hybrid was synthesized by thermal decomposition of the metal–organic framework (MOF) ZIF‐67 under N2 atmosphere. These hybrid materials exhibit outstanding catalytic activity and chemoselectivity for the conversion of a wide range of substituted nitroarenes to their corresponding anilines under relatively mild reaction conditions. The high catalytic performance is attributed to the formation of cobalt nanoparticles and to the presence of atomically dispersed Co species in close interaction with nitrogen‐doped graphene. Both active species are formed in situ during the pyrolytic transformation of ZIF‐67. The catalysts could be reused in consecutive runs, exhibiting a slightly lower activity ascribed to blockage of the active sites by strongly adsorbed reaction species. These results open up a pathway for the design of noble‐metal‐free solid catalysts for industrial applications.

Ruthenium particle size and cesium promotion effects in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis over high-surface-area graphite supported catalysts

The effect of ruthenium particle size on Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) has been studied at 513 K, H2/CO = 2 and 15 bar. Supported Ru catalysts with particle sizes ranging from 1.7 to 12 nm were prepared by using different Ru loadings and two different high surface area graphite (HSAG) supports to minimize the metal–support interaction. In addition, the effect of promotion with Cs is also evaluated. Microcalorimetric characterization during CO adsorption and XPS reveal a clear interaction between Ru and Cs. The FTS with Ru-based catalysts is, independent of the presence of promoter, highly structure-sensitive when the Ru particle size is under 7 nm. In this range the turnover frequency (TOF) for CO conversion increases with particle size, reaching a near constant value for Ru particles larger than 7 nm. Cs promoted catalysts display lower TOF values than the corresponding unpromoted samples. This somewhat reduced activity is attributed to the stronger CO adsorption on Cs promoted catalysts, as demonstrated by CO adsorption microcalorimetry. Product selectivity depends also on Ru particle size. Selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons increases with increasing Ru particle size. For Cs-promoted catalysts, the olefin to paraffin ratio in the C2–C4 hydrocarbons range is independent of the Ru particle size, whereas it decreases for the unpromoted catalysts, showing the prevailing influence of the promoter.

Manufacture of highly loaded silica-supported cobalt Fischer–Tropsch catalysts from a metal organic framework

The development of synthetic protocols for the preparation of highly loaded metal nanoparticle-supported catalysts has received a great deal of attention over the last few decades. Independently controlling metal loading, nanoparticle size, distribution, and accessibility has proven challenging because of the clear interdependence between these crucial performance parameters. Here we present a stepwise methodology that, making use of a cobalt-containing metal organic framework as hard template (ZIF-67), allows addressing this long-standing challenge. Condensation of silica in the Co-metal organic framework pore space followed by pyrolysis and subsequent calcination of these composites renders highly loaded cobalt nanocomposites (~ 50 wt.% Co), with cobalt oxide reducibility in the order of 80% and a good particle dispersion, that exhibit high activity, C5 + selectivity and stability in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis.Preparation of supported catalysts with high nanoparticle loading is a considerable synthetic challenge. Here, by using a metal organic framework as sacrificial template, the authors report a cobalt catalyst with a 50% Co loading with superior activity in the C5+ selective production of hydrocarbons from syngas.

Carbon/H-ZSM-5 composites as supports for bi-functional Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalysts

Mesoporous H-ZSM-5–carbon composites, prepared via tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) post treatment of H-ZSM-5 followed by deposition of pyrolytic carbon, have been used as the support for the preparation of Co-based Fischer–Tropsch catalysts. The resulting catalysts display an improved performance during Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS), with higher activity, higher selectivity towards C5–C9 (gasoline range) hydrocarbons and lower selectivity towards C1 (and C2) than Co/mesoH-ZSM5 (without pyrolytic carbon). This is due to the weaker metal–support interaction caused by the deposited carbon (as revealed by XPS) leading to a higher reducibility of the Co species. Further, the partial deactivation of the Bronsted acid sites by pyrolytic carbon deposition, as was observed by NH3-TPD, allows the modification of the zeolite acidity. Both the olefin to paraffin (O/P) and the isoparaffin to normal paraffin (I/N) ratios decrease with the increase in the carbon content, opening the door to further tune the catalytic performance in multifunctional FTS operations.

Metal-Organic-Framework-Mediated Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for CO2 Electrochemical Reduction

A nitrogen-doped carbon was synthesized through the pyrolysis of the well-known metal-organic framework ZIF-8, followed by a subsequent acid treatment, and has been applied as a catalyst in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The resulting electrode shows Faradaic efficiencies to carbon monoxide as high as ∼78%, with hydrogen being the only byproduct. The pyrolysis temperature determines the amount and the accessibility of N species in the carbon electrode, in which pyridinic-N and quaternary-N species play key roles in the selective formation of carbon monoxide.