Effect of Thermal Treatment Duration on CO₂ Hydrogenation to Light Olefins Using Fe-Cu-Zn Catalysts
Faculty Mentor
Cheng Zhang
Major/Area of Research
Chemistry
Description
INTRODUCTION: Rising global temperatures have contributed to glacial melting, rising sea levels, and disruptions to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. To address this issue, our study focuses on developing an effective catalyst for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through catalytic carbon dioxide hydrogenation to produce value-added chemicals such as light olefins.
METHOD: In this work, we investigated the effect of thermal treatment duration on an Fe-Cu-Zn catalyst with a 1:1:1 molar ratio, selected based on previous findings demonstrating its optimal light olefin yield. To enhance catalytic performance, we employed a novel approach to synthesize highly magnetic Fe₃O₄, which plays a crucial role in catalyst efficiency. Interestingly, our results revealed that thermal treatment duration significantly influences catalytic performance. Catalysts were subjected to varying thermal treatment times—2 minutes, 6 minutes, and 20 minutes— as well as a full calcination process, and their impact on CO₂ hydrogenation activity was compared. The synthesized catalysts were then compressed and packed into quartz tubes for evaluation. CO₂ hydrogenation was conducted in a flow-bed reactor under controlled conditions, with product analysis performed via online gas chromatography (GC).
CONCLUSION: Our preliminary findings indicate a direct correlation between thermal treatment duration and light olefin yield, highlighting its critical role in catalyst optimization. This discovery provides valuable insights into finetuning thermal treatment parameters to enhance catalyst performance, paving the way for more efficient CO₂ conversion strategies. Title of Presentation
Effect of Thermal Treatment Duration on CO₂ Hydrogenation to Light Olefins Using Fe-Cu-Zn Catalysts
INTRODUCTION: Rising global temperatures have contributed to glacial melting, rising sea levels, and disruptions to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. To address this issue, our study focuses on developing an effective catalyst for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through catalytic carbon dioxide hydrogenation to produce value-added chemicals such as light olefins.
METHOD: In this work, we investigated the effect of thermal treatment duration on an Fe-Cu-Zn catalyst with a 1:1:1 molar ratio, selected based on previous findings demonstrating its optimal light olefin yield. To enhance catalytic performance, we employed a novel approach to synthesize highly magnetic Fe₃O₄, which plays a crucial role in catalyst efficiency. Interestingly, our results revealed that thermal treatment duration significantly influences catalytic performance. Catalysts were subjected to varying thermal treatment times—2 minutes, 6 minutes, and 20 minutes— as well as a full calcination process, and their impact on CO₂ hydrogenation activity was compared. The synthesized catalysts were then compressed and packed into quartz tubes for evaluation. CO₂ hydrogenation was conducted in a flow-bed reactor under controlled conditions, with product analysis performed via online gas chromatography (GC).
CONCLUSION: Our preliminary findings indicate a direct correlation between thermal treatment duration and light olefin yield, highlighting its critical role in catalyst optimization. This discovery provides valuable insights into finetuning thermal treatment parameters to enhance catalyst performance, paving the way for more efficient CO₂ conversion strategies. Title of Presentation