Highly efficient hydrogenation of CO₂ to heavy hydrocarbons via NaFeGa catalysts

Transforming CO₂ into heavy hydrocarbons via thermal catalytic hydrogenation has garnered interest for its potential to address resource shortages and reduce atmospheric CO₂. In this research, NaFeGa catalysts enriched with Ga additives were synthesized by the coprecipitation method. Various characterization techniques, including Mössbauer spectroscopy, were employed alongside reverse water-gas shift and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis experiments to elucidate the Fe-Ga interaction. This interaction effectively modulated the ratio of active sites Fe₅C₂ and enhanced CO species adsorption. The Ga additive's anti-hydrogenation effect limited intermediate hydrogenation, leading to increased carbon-hydrogen product yields. The catalyst underwent direct hydrogenation of CO₂ under high throughput conditions (space velocity of 50,000 h⁻¹), resulting in efficient CO₂ conversion as well as remarkable heavy hydrocarbon selectivity. The catalyst demonstrated a remarkable heavy hydrocarbon space-time yield (STY) of 1460.2 g·kg_cat⁻¹·h⁻¹, surpassing the threshold for commercial viability and offering a promising solution for large-scale production of liquid fuels from CO₂.