Hydrogen-to-synfuels via transition metal oxide (TMO) catalysts

Growing concerns about environmental pollution and energy shortages have prompted new seeks in the field of chemistry and sustainable processes, for meeting human development goals while at the same time protecting the environment and preserving natural resources. On this address, European Community nations have adopted new Policies for a sustainable development, aiming to replace the fossil source and modify the traditional refinery by introducing renewable biofeedstock. Furthermore, the utilization of CO2 as “raw material” for the synthesis of value-added products (oils, solvents, chemicals, etc.) appears one of the most promising strategic route for a “greener economy”. To meet these goals, it become imperative the design and development of novel advanced catalytic processes and materials, timely designed for the manufacturing of efficient, safe and environmentally benign fuels starting from various feedstock, ranging from bio-oil to carbon oxides. Many transition metals are differently active catalytic materials in the hydrogenation reactions, at temperatures between 180-360°C and pressure up to 100 bar. The chemical properties of the diverse transition elements can deeply affect the selectivity path of the hydrogenation reactions, modifying the products distribution and the hydrocarbon chain length of products. Therefore, a series of different catalytic formulations based have been proved and compared in the synthesis of green-fuels via hydrotreating processes. This work is aimed to ascertaining the feasibility of hydrogenation processes under industrial conditions for the advanced syn-fuel production, establishing the effect of the catalytic formulation on catalytic performance.