A critical review towards the causes of the iron-based catalysts deactivation mechanisms in the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur from biogas

Hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S) not only presents significant environmental concerns but also induces severe corrosion in industrial equipment,even at low concentrations.Among various technologies,the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide(SOH_(2)S) to elemental sulfur(S) has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.Due to its unique properties,iron oxide has been extensively investigated as a catalyst for SOH_(2)S;however,rapid deactivation has remained a significant drawback.The causes of iron oxide-based catalysts deactivation mechanisms in SOH_(2)S,including sulfur or sulfate deposition,the transformation of iron species,sintering and excessive oxygen vacancy formation,and active site loss,are thoroughly examined in this review.By focusing on the deactivation mechanisms,this review aims to provide valuable insights into enhancing the stability and efficiency of iron-based catalysts for SOH_(2)S.

Efficient degradation of dye pollutants in wastewater via photocatalysis using a magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide-based catalyst

In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept study of the enhancement of photocatalytic activity via a combined strategy of fabricating a visible-light responsive ternary heterostructure and improving overall photostability by incorporating magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide (ZGF). A solvothermal approach was used to synthesize the catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic, energy dispersive X-ray, transmission electron microscopic, vibrating sample magnetometric, and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the synthesized samples. The obtained optimal Zn(NO_(3))_(2) concentration, temperature, and heating duration were 0.10 mol/L, 600℃, and 1 h, respectively. The XRD pattern revealed the presence of peaks corresponding to zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide, indicating that the ZGF catalyst was effectively synthesized. Furthermore, when the developed ZGF was used for methylene blue dye degradation, the optimum irradiation time, dye concentration, catalyst dosage, irradiation intensity, and solution pH were 90 min, 10 mg/L, 0.03 g/L, 100 W, and 8.0, respectively. Therefore, the synthesized ZGF system could be used as a catalyst to degrade dyes in wastewater samples. This hybrid nanocomposite consisting of zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide could also be used as an effective photocatalytic degrader for various dye pollutants.

Promotion effects of alkali metals on iron molybdate catalysts for CO_(2)catalytic hydrogenation

CO_(2)hydrogenation is an attractive way to store and utilize carbon dioxide generated by industrial processes,as well as to produce valuable chemicals from renewable and abundant resources.Iron catalysts are commonly used for the hydrogenation of carbon oxides to hydrocarbons.Iron-molybdenum catalysts have found numerous applications in catalysis,but have been never evaluated in the CO_(2)hydrogenation.In this work,the structural properties of iron-molybdenum catalysts without and with a promoting alkali metal(Li,Na,K,Rb,or Cs)were characterized using X-ray diffraction,hydrogen temperatureprogrammed reduction,CO_(2)temperature-programmed desorption,in-situ^(57)Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy and operando X-ray adsorption spectroscopy.Their catalytic performance was evaluated in the CO_(2)hydrogenation.During the reaction conditions,the catalysts undergo the formation of an iron(Ⅱ)molybdate structure,accompanied by a partial reduction of molybdenum and carbidization of iron.The rate of CO_(2)conversion and product selectivity strongly depend on the promoting alkali metals,and electronegativity was identified as an important factor affecting the catalytic performance.Higher CO_(2)conversion rates were observed with the promoters having higher electronegativity,while low electronegativity of alkali metals favors higher light olefin selectivity.

Iron-based Fischer–Tropsch synthesis of lower olefins: The nature of χ-Fe_5C_2 catalyst and why and how to introduce promoters

As a sustainable and short-flow process, iron-catalyzed direct conversion of CO-rich syngas to lower olefins without intermediate steps, i.e., Fischer–Tropsch-to-Olefins (FTO), has received increasing attention. However, its fundamental understanding is usually limited by the complex crystal phase composition in addition to the interferences of the promoter effects and inevitable catalyst deactivation. Until recently, the combination of multiple in-situ/ex-situ characterizations and theoretical studies has evidenced Hägg iron carbide (χ-Fe5C2) as the dominant active phase of iron-based Fischer–Tropsch catalysts. This perspective attempts to review and discuss some recent progresses on the nature of χ-Fe5C2catalyst and the crucial effects of promoters on the FTO performance from theoretical and experimental viewpoints, aiming to provide new insights into the rational design of iron-based FTO catalysts. © 2016 Science Press

A novel fused iron catalyst for ammonia synthesis promoted with rare earth gangue

Rare earth gangue, which mainly consists of mixtures of light rare earths such as lanthana, ceria, neodymium oxide and praseodymium oxide, was used as the promoter of fused iron catalysts for ammonia synthesis. The result showed that the activity of the catalyst promoted with rare earth gangue was comparable with those of commercial iron catalysts with high amount of cobalt. The role of rare earths was owed to their advantages for favoring the deep reduction of the main composite in catalyst, i.e., iron oxide. This fmding indicated that the use of rare earth gangue could decrease the content of cobalt or even completely replace cobalt, which was used to be regarded as unsub- stitutable promoters for high performance ammonia catalyst; therefore, the cost of fused iron catalysts would decrease significantly.

Selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde by oxygen over silica-supported iron catalysts

FeOx-SiO2 catalysts prepared by a sol-gel method were studied for the selective oxidation of methane by oxygen. A single-pass formaldehyde yield of 2.0% was obtained over the FeOx-SiO2 with an iron content of 0.5 wt% at 898 K. This 0.5 wt% FeOx-SiO2 catalyst demonstrated significantly higher catalytic performances than the 0.5 wt% FeOx/SiO2 prepared by an impregnation method. The correlation between the catalytic performances and the characterizations with UV-Vis and H2-TPR suggested that the higher dispersion of iron species in the catalyst prepared by the sol-gel method was responsible for its higher catalytic activity for formaldehyde formation. The modification of the FeOx-SiO2 by phosphorus enhanced the formaldehyde selectivity, and a single-pass formaldehyde yield of 2.4% could be attained over a P-FeOx-SiO2 catalyst （P/Fe = 0.5） at 898 K. Raman spectroscopic measurements indicated the formation of FePO4 nanoclusters in this catalyst, which were more selective toward formaldehyde formation.

Effects of Catalyst and Additive Containing Li, Na, or Ca on Reduction of Iron Oxide/Carbon Composite Pellets

The catalyst containing 0.69% (mass fraction) of Li+, Na+, or Ca2+ were synthesized, and the catalytic effect on the reduction of iron oxide/carbon composite pellets were investigated by comparing with that of additive at 850 degreesC. The effect of the catalyst was greater than that of the additive, it can be considered that catalyst promoted the formation of iron nucleus early on reduction processes of iron oxide/carbon composite pellets. In addition, both effects of catalyst and additive increased after added carbon powder into the pellets, but the extent of increase decreased when the carbon powder exceeded a suitable content (about 4%), this amount is less than that of carbon needed theoretically on the reduction from hematite to iron.

Effects of the Different Supports on the Activity and Selectivity of Iron-Cobalt Bimetallic Catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Silica, alumina, and activated carbon supported iron-cobalt catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation. These catalysts have been characterized by BET, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）. Activity and selectivity of iron-cobalt supported on different carriers for CO hydrogenation were studied under the conditions of 1.5 MPa, 493 K, 630 h^-1, and H2/CO ratio of 1.6. The results indicate that the activity, C4 olefin/（C4 olefin＋C4 paraffin） ratio, and C5 olefin/（C5 olefin＋C5 paraffin） decrease in the order of Fe-Co/SiO2, Fe-Co/AC1, Fe-Co/Al2O3 and Fe- Co/AC2. The activity of Fe-Co/SiO2 reached a maximum. The results of TPR show that the Fe-Co/SiO2 catalyst is to some extent different. XRD patterns show that the Fe-Co/SiO2 catalyst differs significantly from the others; it has two diffraction peaks. The active spinel phase is correlated with the supports.

Systematic variation of the sodium/sulfur promoter content on carbon-supported iron catalysts for the Fischer–Tropsch to olefins reaction

The Fischer–Tropsch to olefins（FTO） process is a method for the direct conversion of synthesis gas to lower C–Colefins. Carbon-supported iron carbide nanoparticles are attractive catalysts for this reaction.The catalytic activity can be improved and undesired formation of alkanes can be suppressed by the addition of sodium and sulfur as promoters but the influence of their content and ratio remains poorly understood and the promoted catalysts often suffer from rapid deactivation due to particle growth. A series of carbon black-supported iron catalysts with similar iron content and nominal sodium/sulfur loadings of 1–30/0.5–5 wt% with respect to iron are prepared and characterized under FTO conditions at 1and 10 bar syngas pressure to illuminate the influence of the promoter level on the catalytic properties.Iron particles and promoters undergo significant reorganization during FTO operation under industrially relevant conditions. Low sodium content（1–3 wt%） leads to a delay in iron carbide formation. Sodium contents of 15–30 wt% lead to rapid loss of catalytic activity due to the covering of the iron surface with promoters during particle growth under FTO operation. Higher activity and slower loss of activity are observed at low promoter contents（1–3 wt% sodium and 0.5–1 wt% sulfur） but a minimum amount of alkali is required to effectively suppress methane and C–Cparaffin formation. A reference catalyst support（carbide-derived carbon aerogel） shows that the optimum promoter level depends on iron particle size and support pore structure.

Preparation of Nano-Sized γ-Al_2O_3 Supported Iron Catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis by Solvated Metal Atom Impregnation Methods

Two types of small iron clusters supported on γ-Al2O3-RT（dehydroxylated at room temperature） and γ-Al2O3-800 （dehydroxylated at 800 ℃） were prepared by solvated metal atom impregnation （SMAI） techniques. The iron atom precursor complex, bis（toluene）iron（0） formed in the metal atom reactor, was impregnated into γ-Al2O3 having different concentrations of surface hydroxyl groups to study the effect of surface hydroxylation on the crucial stage of iron cluster formation. Catalysts prepared in this way were characterized by TEM, Mǒssbauer, and chemisorption measurements, and the results show that higher concentration of surface hydroxyl groups of γ-Al2O3-RT favors the formation of more positively charged supported iron cluster Fen/γ-Al2O3-RT, and the lower concentration of surface hydroxyl groups of γ-Al2O3-800 favors the formation of basically neutral supported iron cluster Fen/γ-Al2O3-800. The measured results also indicate that the higher concentration of surface hydroxyl groups causes the rapid decomposition of precursor complex, bis（toluene）iron（0）, and favors the formation of relatively large iron cluster. Consequently, these two types of catalysts show different catalytic properties in Fischer-Tropsch reaction. The catalytic pattern of Fen/γ-Al2O3-RT in F-T reaction is similar to that of the unreduced γ-Fe2O3 and that of Fen/γ-Al2O3-800 is similar to that of the reduced α-Fe2O3.

Controlled Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Catalyzed by Hybrid Supported Iron Catalyst

A supported iron catalyst, which was prepared by anchoring FeCl2/FeCl3 on the cross-linking macroporous polyacrylate ion exchange resin, was evaluated via the controlled radical polymerization. When a small amount of CuCl2/ Me6TREN was added, the controllability of the polymerization over the iron-mediated catalyst was significantly improved（Mw/Mn = 1.23-1.73 ）, affording a polymer with a low residual metal via a simple catalyst separation procedure. After suitable regeneration, the supported iron catalyst could also he recycled. UV-Vis analysis showed that the additional copper catalyst could facilitate the radical deactivation process.

Kinetics of the water-gas shift reaction in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over a nano-structured iron catalyst

Based on formate and direct oxidation mechanisms,three Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson （LHHW） kinetic models of the water-gasshift （WGS） reaction over a nano-structured iron catalyst under Fischer-Tropsch synthesis （FTS） reaction conditions were derived and compared with those over the conventional catalyst.The conventional and nanostructured Fe/Cu/La/Si catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of Fe and Cu nitrates in aqueous media and water-oil micro-emulsion,respectively.The WGS kinetic data were measured by experiments over a wide range of reaction conditions and comparisons were also made for various rate equations.WGS rate expressions based on the formate mechanism with the assumption that the formation of formate is rate determining step were found to be the best.

Effects of Potassium and Manganese Promoters on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube-Supported Iron Catalysts for CO_2 Hydrogenation

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes （NCNTs） were used as a support for iron （Fe） nanoparticles applied in car- bon dioxide （CO_2） hydrogenation at 633 K and 25 bar （1 bar = 10-5 Pa）. The Fe/NCNT catalyst promoted with both potassium （K） and manganese （Mn） showed high performance in CO_2 hydrogenation, reaching 34.9% conversion with a gas hourly space velocity （GHSV） of 3.1 L-（g·h）-1. Product selectivities were high for olefin products and low for short-chain alkanes for the K-promoted catalysts. When Fe/NCNT catalyst was promot- ed with both K and Mn, the catalytic activity was stable for 60 h of reaction time. The structural effect of the Mn promoter was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR） with molecular hydrogen （H2）, and in situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure （XANES） analysis. The Mn pro- moter stabilized wtistite （FeO） as an intermediate and lowered the TPR onset temperature. Catalytic ammo- nia （NH_3） decomposition was used as an additional probe reaction for characterizing the promoter effects. The Fe/NCNT catalyst promoted with both K and Mn had the highest catalytic activity, and the Mn-promoted Fe/NCNT catalysts had the highest thermal stability under reducing conditions.

Activation pressure studies with an iron-based catalyst for slurry Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis （FTS） was carried out with an industrial iron-based catalyst （100Fe/5Cu/6K/16SiO2, by weight） under the baseline conditions in a stirred tank slurry reactor （STSR）. The effects of activation pressure on the catalyst activity and selectivity were investigated. It was found that iron phase compositions, textural properties, and FTS performances of the catalysts were strongly dependent on activation pressure. The high activation pressure retards the carburization. MФssbauer effect spectroscopy （MES） results indicated that the contents of the iron carbides clearly decrease with the increase of activation pressure, especially for the activation pressure increasing from 1.0 MPa to 1.5 MPa, and the reverse trend is observed for superparamagnetic Fe^3＋ （spm）. The higher content of Fe^3＋ （spm） results in the higher amount of CO2 in tail gas when the catalyst is reduced at higher pressure. The catalyst activity decreases with the increase of activation pressure. The high quantity of iron carbides is necessary to obtain high FTS activity. However, the activity of the catalyst activated in syngas can not be predicted solely from the fraction of the carbides. It is concluded that activation with syngas at the lower pressure would be the most desirable for the better activity and stability on the iron-based catalyst.

Reduction of Sulphur-containing Aromatic Nitro Compounds with Hydrazine Hydrate over Iron(III) Oxide-MgO Catalyst

Sulphur-containing aromatic amines were prepared efficiently in good to excellent yields by reduction of the corresponding sulphur-containing aromatic nitro compounds with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of iron（Ⅲ） oxide-MgO catalyst. The catalyst exhibited high activity and stability for the reduction of sulphur-containing aromatic nitro compounds. The yields of sulphur-containing aromatic amines were up to 91-99 % at 355 K after reduction for 1-4 h over this catalyst.

Effects of Reaction Conditions on Performance of Ru Catalyst and Iron Catalyst for Ammonia Synthesis

Activated carbon-supported Ru-based catalyst and A301 iron catalyst were prepared,and the influences of reaction temperature,space velocity,pressure,and H2/N2 ratio on performance of iron catalyst coupled with Ru catalyst in series for ammonia synthesis were investigated.The activity tests were also performed on the single Ru and Fe catalysts as comparison.Results showed that the activity of the Ru catalyst for ammonia synthesis was higher than that of the iron catalyst by 33.5%-37.6% under the reaction conditions：375-400 °C,10 MPa,10000 h-1,H2︰N2 3,and the Ru catalyst also had better thermal stability when treated at 475 °C for 20 h.The outlet ammonia concentration using Fe-Ru catalyst was increased by 45.6%-63.5% than that of the single-iron catalyst at low tem-perature （375-400 °C）,and the outlet ammonia concentration increased with increasing Ru catalyst loading.

Iron-based catalysts encapsulated by nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon for selective synthesis of liquid fuels through the Fischer-Tropsch process

Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis(FTS)has the potential to be a powerful strategy for producing liquid fuels from syngas if highly selective catalysts can be developed.Herein,a series of iron nanoparticle catalysts encapsulated by nitrogen‐doped graphitic carbon were prepared by a one‐step pyrolysis of a ferric L‐glutamic acid complex.The FeC‐800 catalyst pyrolyzed at 800°C showed excellent catalytic activity(239.4μmolCO gFe–1 s–1),high C5–C11 selectivity(49%),and good stability in FTS.The high dispersion of ferric species combined with a well‐encapsulated structure can effectively inhibit the migration of iron nanoparticles during the reaction process,which is beneficial for high activity and good stability.The nitrogen‐doped graphitic carbon shell can act as an electron donor to the iron particles,thus promoting CO activation and expediting the formation of Fe5C2,which is the key factor for obtaining high C5–C11 selectivity.

Recent advances in application of iron‐based catalysts for CO_(x) hydrogenation to value‐added hydrocarbons

The widespread utilization of fossil fuels has caused an associated increase in CO_(2) emissions over the past few decades,which has resulted in global warming and ocean acidification.CO hydrogenation(Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis,FTS)is considered a significant route for the production of liquid fuels and chemicals from nonpetroleum sources to meet worldwide demand.Conversion of CO_(2) with renewable H_(2) into valuable hydrocarbons is beneficial for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating the negative effects of high CO_(2) concentrations in the atmosphere.Iron‐based catalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance in both FTS and CO_(2) hydrogenation to value‐added hydrocarbons.The abundance and low cost of iron‐based catalysts also promote their wide application in CO_(x) hydrogenation.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the significant developments in the application of iron‐based catalysts in these two fields.The active phases,promoter effect,and support of iron‐based catalysts are discussed in the present paper.Based on understanding of these three essential aspects,we also cover recent advances in the design and preparation of novel iron‐based catalysts for FTS and CO_(2) hydrogenation.Current challenges and future catalytic applications are also outlined.

Preparation of Sulphur-containing Aromatic Amines by Reduction of the Corresponding Aromatic Nitro Compounds with Hydrazine Hydrate over Iron Oxide Hydroxide Catalyst

Sulphur-containing aromatic nitro compounds were rapidly reduced to the corresponding amines in high yields by employing hydrazine hydrate as a hydrogen donor in the presence of iron oxide hydroxide catalyst. It was worth noting that the catalyst exhibited extremely high activity. The reduction could be completed within 20-50 min and the yields were up to 97-99 %.

Fabrication of K-promoted iron/carbon nanotubes composite catalysts for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis of lower olefins

K-promoted iron/carbon nanotubes composite（i.e., Fe K-OX） was prepared by a redox reaction between carbon nanotubes and K2FeO4followed by thermal treatments on a purpose as the Fischer–Tropsch catalyst for the direct conversion of syngas to lower olefins. Its catalytic behaviors were compared with those of the other two Fe-IM and Fe K-IM catalysts prepared by impregnation method followed by thermal treatments. The novel Fe K-OX composite catalyst is found to exhibit higher hydrocarbon selectivity,lower olefins selectivity and chain growth probability as well as better stability. The catalyst structureperformance relationship has been established using multiple techniques including XRD, Raman, TEM and EDS elemental mapping. In addition, effects of additional potassium into the Fe K-OX composite catalyst on the FTO performance were also investigated and discussed. Additional potassium promoters further endow the catalysts with higher yield of lower olefins. These results demonstrated that the introduction method of promoters and iron species plays a crucial role in the design and fabrication of highly active,selective and stable iron-based composite catalysts for the FTO reaction.