Department Interface Design
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for sustainable aviation fuels
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) offers an alternative pathway to produce high-quality sustainable hydrocarbons, including linear alkenes, diesel and jet fuel through the conversion of syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The Fischer-Tropsch process is currently used to convert coal or natural gas to fuels on a large, industrial scale. Cobalt (Co) is widely utilized as an active metal due to its high activity, while promoters such as Manganese (Mn), enhance this catalytic performance and selectivity towards long-chain hydrocarbons (i.e. C5+ fractions). Metal oxides like Al₂O₃, SiO₂, and TiO₂ as support improve metal dispersion, increasing active sites and providing mechanical stability.
Fig. 1: Co 2p3/2 spectra of a model Co catalyst after oxidation. The spectra show that divalent CoO is concentrated on surface as with increasing excitation energy hn, which is proportional to information depth, metallic Co predominates.
The CARE-O-SENE project aims to develop Cobalt-based optimized catalysts for green kerosene with low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
At EMIL, in system preparation and measurements of model catalysts (single crystals, thin-films) that closely mimic commercial catalysts provide a molecular understanding of underlying processes during FT operation. The combination of soft (100-2000 eV) and hard (2-10 keV) X-rays allows for elemental depth analysis, in-system thin-film deposition and treatment without exposure to air during transfer (see example in Fig.1).
For the Care-O-Sene project, a new high-pressure reactor was developed within the EMIL infrastructure. The reactor is connected to the UHV backbone, allowing in-system preparation, post-treatments and advanced characterization of catalysts by lab- and synchrotron-based spectroscopies at SISSY-I. The the in-situ/operando cell is compatible with soft-/hard- XAS at the OÆSE station.
Fig. 2 dedicated reactor cells for lab-based or synchrotron FTS experiments a) In-system high pressure reactor (up to 20 bar, 600°C) connected via backbone at EMIL with the SISSY-I station and b) In-situ/Operando soft-/hard- XAS cell (up to 15 bar, 300°C for OÆSE station. These are also applicable for other reactions.
