Abstract

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is a non-crude oil-based technique for conversion of syngas to a wide range of hydrocarbons including light olefins, and liquid transportation fuels. Syngas, which is a combination of H₂ and CO gases can be produced through natural gas reforming, biomass or coal gasification processes. FTS is a catalytic polymerization reaction, therefore rational design of the catalyst including active sites, support and promoters plays a significant role in improving the selectivity of the process to desired range of products. This mini review presents a summary of the different catalyst designs in FTS to synthesize light olefins or heavier hydrocarbons. Iron and cobalt are the industrially used active metals for FTS, due to the lower price and higher hydrogenation activity, respectively. Supports are a key factor in designing efficient FTS catalysts, which provide mechanical, thermal strength for the active sites and a high surface area for dispersion of the active metal particles. Herein we discuss two categories of the widely used support material for FTS: metal oxide supports and carbon materials. Another significant element in formulating a high-performance catalyst for FTS process is the promoters, which can be divided into electronical and structural promoters. This work highlights the roles of active metal, support and promoters in understanding the structure-activity correlations to design high-performance FTS catalysts for production clean and sustainable fuels.

Keywords:Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; Light olefins; Liquid fuels; Catalyst design; Active metal; Support materials; Promoter; Sustainable fuels