Effect of Molar Ratios on Fe-Cu-Zn Trimetallic Catalysts for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Value-Added Chemicals
Faculty Mentor
Cheng Zheng
Area of Research
Chemistry
Major
Health Science
Description
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a major greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, altering climate patterns, and causing rising sea levels. To address this issue, we investigated the influence of transition metals—iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)—on the catalytic performance of CO₂ hydrogenation to produce environmentally safe and value-added products, such as light olefins. Specifically, the effect of Fe/Cu/Zn molar ratios (10:1:1, 5:1:1, 3:1:1, and 1:1:1) on catalytic efficiency was examined. The metals were combined in their respective ratios as liquid precursors, followed by solvent evaporation and mild thermal treatment. The resulting powders were dried at 65°C overnight, compressed, and packed into quartz tubes for evaluation. The novelty of this study lies in the use of Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ organometallic complexes along with a Cu acetate solution as precursors, eliminating the traditional calcination step prior to catalyst testing. The catalysts were tested for CO₂ hydrogenation using a flow-bed reactor, with product analysis conducted via online gas chromatography (GC). The results indicated that the Fe/Cu/Zn molar ratio of 1:1:1 demonstrated the highest selectivity and yield for light olefins. These findings suggest that transition metal-based catalysts, particularly Fe-Cu-Zn systems, hold significant potential for CO₂ conversion strategies, contributing to sustainable greenhouse gas mitigation efforts.
Effect of Molar Ratios on Fe-Cu-Zn Trimetallic Catalysts for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Value-Added Chemicals
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a major greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, altering climate patterns, and causing rising sea levels. To address this issue, we investigated the influence of transition metals—iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)—on the catalytic performance of CO₂ hydrogenation to produce environmentally safe and value-added products, such as light olefins. Specifically, the effect of Fe/Cu/Zn molar ratios (10:1:1, 5:1:1, 3:1:1, and 1:1:1) on catalytic efficiency was examined. The metals were combined in their respective ratios as liquid precursors, followed by solvent evaporation and mild thermal treatment. The resulting powders were dried at 65°C overnight, compressed, and packed into quartz tubes for evaluation. The novelty of this study lies in the use of Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ organometallic complexes along with a Cu acetate solution as precursors, eliminating the traditional calcination step prior to catalyst testing. The catalysts were tested for CO₂ hydrogenation using a flow-bed reactor, with product analysis conducted via online gas chromatography (GC). The results indicated that the Fe/Cu/Zn molar ratio of 1:1:1 demonstrated the highest selectivity and yield for light olefins. These findings suggest that transition metal-based catalysts, particularly Fe-Cu-Zn systems, hold significant potential for CO₂ conversion strategies, contributing to sustainable greenhouse gas mitigation efforts.