【Frontiers of HaiChuan Technology】A Decade of Progress in the Industrialization of Long-Chain α-Olefins Using Pure-Phase Iron Carbide Catalysts
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A new era in the industrial production of long-chain α-olefins has been ushered in by the use of pure-phase iron carbide catalysts. Modern Coal Chemical Engineering, October 18, 2024, 08:52, Beijing. On October 16, **the Beijing Institute of Low-Carbon Clean Energy of the Energy Group (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) made significant breakthroughs in its research efforts in collaboration with institutions such as Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. The results of this research were published in the journal Nature under the title “Highly efficient direct synthesis of linear α-olefins from syngas using pure-phase χ-Fe5C2 catalysts”. Through the use of an original \"pure-phase χ-ferritic carbide\" catalyst, this research enables the direct conversion of syngas – a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced from the conversion of coal, natural gas, or biomass – into high-value chemicals such as linear α-olefins. This approach significantly improves carbon efficiency and reduces carbon dioxide emissions, fills a gap in existing international technologies, and provides a new route for the one-step production of high-value linear α-olefins. The research findings propose a new theory regarding the \"pure-phase iron carbide catalyst system,\" and name this new technology as FTLAO technology. This is also another significant achievement by the research team at the Coal Indirect Liquefaction Technology Research Center of the Low-Carbon Institute, following the successful development and industrial application of the CNFT series of iron-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts. The team’s research scope has expanded from coal-to-oil processes to the production of high-value oil-based chemicals. The Directed Synthesis Catalysis Department of the Coal Indirect Liquefaction Technology Research Center at the Low-Carbon Institute, with the perseverance to hone a skill over a decade and the determination to accomplish one goal throughout one’s life, has achieved significant technological breakthroughs in key catalytic fields, making a notable contribution to the \"10-year journey of FTO.\" Linear α-olefins (LAO for short) serve as key raw materials and important intermediates in the modern chemical industry. Their global consumption is increasing year by year, indicating a vast market and high demand for them. Restricted by traditional ethylene oligomerization technologies, China relies heavily on imports for long-chain α-olefins, which severely limits the development of its high-end chemical industry. Faced with the urgent need for such strategies, since 2015 Dr. Wang Peng, a young scientist at the Coal Indirect Liquefaction Technology Research Center of the Low-Carbon Institute and the technical leader of the team, stepped forward to take on the challenge of converting syngas directly into linear α-olefins. The first challenge in developing this project is the selection of the technical approach; cobalt-based catalysts have excellent activity, but they are expensive ； Iron-based catalysts are inexpensive, but they generally suffer from issues such as high CO2 selectivity, low carbon utilization efficiency, and a low content of C6+ α-olefin components in the liquid products; thus, choosing the appropriate technical approach poses a significant challenge.
Wang Peng did not rush to draw conclusions; instead, he first conducted in-depth analysis of the nature behind the catalytic activity of iron-based catalysts – namely, the issues related to active phases and active sites. By reviewing a large amount of literature and employing various advanced in-situ characterization techniques, he carried out experiments on these aspects of iron-based catalysts. He found that problems such as the high selectivity for CO2 and low carbon utilization efficiency in iron-based catalysts were not caused by defects within the catalysts themselves, but rather by the formation of other phases during the catalyst’s reduction and carbonization processes, which led to side reactions. Based on this finding, Wang Peng proposed an original idea of using pure-phase iron carbide as the active phase of the catalyst, which not only takes advantage of the low cost of iron-based catalysts but also cleverly avoids the problems associated with side reactions. After clarifying his thoughts, another major challenge facing Wang Peng was the severe shortage of personnel in the early stages of project development; at one point, the research work could only progress by borrowing staff from other research centers. Faced with difficulties, Wang Peng took the initiative to shoulder all the research tasks on his own, handling multiple roles; he was personally involved in everything from the initial experimental concepts and sample preparation to the analysis and verification of experimental data. Under the light of late at night, it is often his busy and determined figure that can be seen; such a working pattern has long become the ordinary routine of his scientific research work.
Good news keeps coming: major projects under the 14th Five-Year Plan are being implemented. Through hard work, Wang Peng and his team discovered that when pure-phase iron carbide is used to replace the active sites of traditional iron catalysts, these catalysts exhibit a \"near-zero CO2 selectivity\" along with an extremely high carbon conversion efficiency of over 95%, thereby challenging the academic community’s previous understanding of the low carbon efficiency inherent in iron catalysts. In 2018, this achievement was published in the renowned international academic journal Science Advances under the title \"Ultra-low CO2-selective Fischer-Tropsch synthesis based on ‘pure-phase ε-ferrite’\", and since then the research on this topic has accelerated significantly. In 2022, led by the Low-Carbon Research Institute, in collaboration with 10 research institutions including Baotou Coal Chemical Industry of **Energy Group, Ningxia Coal Industry, Peking University, and the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a proposal was successfully submitted for the key research and development program under the 14th Five-Year Plan: \"Comprehensive technology for the direct conversion of low-CO2 selective syngas into long-chain α-olefins.\" This R&D project is centered on the original \"pure-phase iron carbide catalyst system\" developed by the Low-Carbon Research Institute. By utilizing high-efficiency slurry bed reactors, along with advanced technologies for the efficient separation of long-chain α-olefins and the comprehensive utilization of the resulting products, it creates a complete set of technologies for the direct conversion of syngas into long-chain α-olefins.
“The successful submission of the major special plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan marks the transition of the \"pure-phase iron carbide catalyst system\" developed by Wang Peng and his team from the laboratory stage to actual application and industrial development. Upon completion of this project, it will fill the gap in domestic technology for high-value specialty chemicals in the coal chemical industry, helping to drive the development of China’s coal chemical sector toward higher sophistication, greater diversity, and lower carbon emissions. It will also lay a solid foundation for the growth of the downstream high-end polyolefin industry. Images: International cooperation to reach new heights in low-carbon technology. During the research on the “pure-phase iron carbide catalytic system,” Wang Peng and his team placed great emphasis on international cooperation, actively working to establish a global innovation network for low-carbon technology research. The team jointly established the “NICE-TU/e Carbon I Catalysis Cooperative Laboratory” with Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands to carry out regular academic exchanges and collaborative research. Through their collaboration, they have published papers with international impact in several renowned academic journals such as ACS Catalysis and Journal of Catalysis, and have been invited to give presentations at influential international conferences including the American Chemical Society meetings, the World Gas Conversion Conference, and the Dutch Catalysis Conference, thereby significantly enhancing their international academic profile. Image: A decade of dedication – The “FTLAO” technology leads the world. From 2015 to 2024, nearly a decade passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Peng and his team members, with a focus on the interests of the nation, committed themselves to serving major strategic goals. They took on the responsibility of driving technological innovation, dared to explore new paths, and worked tirelessly. Working behind the scenes, away from fame and fortune, they managed to create something remarkable from scratch, successfully developing the revolutionary “FTLAO” technology. This technology not only completely overcomes the bottlenecks in China’s efforts to produce linear α-olefins through the direct conversion of syngas, but also helps to place China at the forefront of global technological advancement in this field.
As of October 2024, based on the \"pure-phase iron carbide catalyst system,\" the team has filed a total of 101 invention patents, including 34 international patents. They have also published 2 monographs in English and over 30 articles indexed by SCI, achieving remarkable results that are truly inspiring. Looking to the future, Wang Peng and his team will remain committed to the goal of low carbon emissions, keep in mind their mission of innovation, vigorously promote the spirit of scientists in the new era, and continue to work hard on advancing the industrial application of technologies for the direct production of linear α-olefins from syngas. With greater determination, they will swiftly transform this scientific and technological achievement into practical productive forces, contributing significantly to the transformation and upgrading of China’s energy and chemical industries! End Source: **Energy Group Disclaimer: The content contained herein is sourced from public sources such as the Internet and WeChat official accounts. The copyright of the reproduced materials belongs to their respective original authors and organizations; if there is any infringement, please contact us so that it can be removed.
Public announcement on the approval of the pilot project for the direct conversion of synthetic gas from Baotou into long-chain α-olefins on a hundred-ton and ten-thousand-ton scale: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=5674496 (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum [Haichuan Network])
【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Construction begins on China’s self-developed multi-functional offshore engineering vessels from 2076 to 2024 https://bbs.hcbbs.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=5675508 (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum [Haichuan Network])