Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over iron-containing lignin carbon fiber catalysts prepared in a single step by electrospinning.

Abstract

The production of light olefins is of primary importance in the chemical industry, serving as building blocks for the manufacture of a wide spectrum of derivatives. Among possible options, the High-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (HT-FTS) is a process that converts synthesis gas (a mixture of CO and H2) from coal, natural gas and renewable biomass to short-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons without intermediate steps, using iron-based catalysts at relatively high temperature (300-350 ºC). In this context, the development of efficient routes for the transformation of biomass waste into useful chemicals and fuels is of primary importance due to the growing concerns of greenhouse effects of using fossil resources. Furthermore, lignocellulosic biomass waste could be used to produce renewable FTS catalyst supports, and as a result both processes of biomass conversion have a positive environmental and economic impact (Valero-Romero, 2021). In the present work, submicro-sized iron-containing lignin fibers have been prepared by the electrospinning technique, using Alcell lignin as carbon precursor, a low-cost co-product of the paper making industry. Carbon fibers were obtained by carbonization of Fe-containing lignin fibers at different temperatures, yielding iron nanoparticles very well dispersed on the carbon fibers surface. These fibrillar catalysts were tested for HT-FTS with an H2/CO ratio comparable to that of the syngas from the gasification of biomass.