Low-temperature Gas Research Articles

Features of a fusible solid fuel gasification in a low-temperature gas generator satisfying the assumptions of the volume average model

A solid porous fuel gasification in the low-temperature gas generator for a high-speed flying vehicle is studied numerically in the framework of volume averaged model. It is shown that during the filtration of hot gas (∼ 1000-1200 °C) through the porous medium the significant part of the solid fuel has relatively high temperature (∼ 180-450 °C) for a long time (10–70 s). This suggests that melting of common materials such as polyethylene or polymethylmethacrylate considered in the literature as the fuel for the gas generator is possible, if the porous media satisfies assumptions of the volume averaged approach. Based on the results of a parametric study, possible ways to prevent the melting of the gasifier are discussed.

Fractal Characterization of the Pore-Throat Structure in Tight Sandstone Based on Low-Temperature Nitrogen Gas Adsorption and High-Pressure Mercury Injection

The pore-throat structure is a critical factor in the study of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, drawing particular attention from petroleum geologists, and it is of paramount significance to analyze to enhance oil and gas production. In tight sandstone, which serves as a significant hydrocarbon reservoir, the internal pore-throat structure plays a decisive role in the storage and migration of fluids such as water, gases, and hydrocarbons. This paper employs casting thin section (CTS), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), high-pressure mercury injection (HPMI), and low-temperature nitrogen gas adsorption (LT−N2−GA) experimental tests to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the characteristics of the pore-throat structure in tight sandstone. The results indicate that the pore types in tight sandstone include intergranular residual pores, dissolution pores, intercrystalline pores, and microfractures, while the throat types encompass sheet-shaped, curved-sheet-shaped, and tubular throats. Analysis of the physical and structural parameters from 13 HPMI and 5 LT−N2−GA samples reveals a bimodal distribution of pore-throat radii. The complexity of the pore-throat structure is identified as a primary controlling factor for reservoir permeability. The fractal dimension (D) exhibits an average value of 2.45, displaying a negative correlation with porosity (R2 = 0.22), permeability (R2 = 0.65), the pore-throat diameter (R2 = 0.58), and maximum mercury saturation (R2 = 0.86) and a positive correlation with threshold pressure (R2 = 0.56), median saturation pressure (R2 = 0.49), BET specific surface area (R2 = 0.51), and BJH total pore volume (R2 = 0.14). As D increases, reservoir pores tend to decrease in size, leading to reduced flow and deteriorated physical properties, indicative of a more complex pore-throat structure.

An investigation of monolithic nickel-based catalyst for clean hydrogen production with CCS technology: The effect of structure

At present, hydrogen is recognised as a carbon-free energy carrier, but its major production via the steam methane reforming (SMR) process requires further decarbonisation as a considerable amount of carbon dioxide is simultaneously emitted. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques can be integrated with typical SMR to produce clean hydrogen. Previously, a novel structured catalyst (Ni/SiC-M) was developed, and it was highly active for SMR under low operating temperature and high gas space velocity. By integrating CCS techniques, this structured catalyst is promising to produce clean hydrogen, however, there is a lack of knowledge about the catalytic performance when CCS is applied, especially the effect of structure. In this work, the feasibility of producing cleaner hydrogen with monolithic catalysts (Ni/SiC-M) coupled with sorbent particles was discussed. Different modified structures were applied for performance evaluation with a fixed bed reactor, to better understand the relationship between the structure and the activity. The results showed that sorbent particles can adsorb most of the generated carbon dioxide, leading to a higher hydrogen purity; the limitation of internal mass transfer caused by high pressure drops can result in a decrease in catalytic activity, but the impact was limited. The pore size could be the key factor to influence the performance of structured catalysts.

Likely detection of magnetic field related LFQPO in the soft X-ray rebrightening of GRS 1915+105

Utilizing NICER observations, we present an analysis of the soft X-ray rebrightening event of GRS 1915+105 observed in 2021. During this event, we observed the emergence of a stable long-lasting low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation (LFQPO) with frequencies ranging from 0.17 to 0.21 Hz. Through a careful spectral analysis, we demonstrate that a low-temperature Compton-thick gas model characterizes the emitted radiation well. By examining the spectrum and identifying numerous absorption lines, we discerned a transition in the wind properties. This transition was marked by a shift from a state characterized by low speed, high column density, and high ionization degree to one featuring still low speed, but low column density and ionization degree. Intriguingly, the presence or absence of the QPO signal is perfectly correlated with these distinct wind characteristics. The low-speed wind observed could be indicative of a “failed wind”, while the observed shift implies a transition from a magnetically to a thermally driven wind. Notably, this QPO signal exclusively manifested itself during the magnetically driven phase, suggesting the possibility of a novel perturbation associated with magnetic effects.

K and Na Promotion Enables High-Pressure Low-Temperature Reverse Water Gas Shift over Copper-Based Catalysts

K and Na Promotion Enables High-Pressure Low-Temperature Reverse Water Gas Shift over Copper-Based Catalysts

Theoretical and experimental study on total heat recovery of condensing gas boiler flue gas by gas engine-driven compression heat pump

How to improve the utilization efficiency of natural gas and achieve the goal of carbon reduction has gradually become the focus of people’s attention. The exhaust temperature of the condensing gas boiler is between 50℃ and 80℃, which still contains some heat that is not used, so it is necessary to recover this part of the heat. This paper mainly studies the total heat recovery and utilization of waste heat from low-temperature flue gas of condensing gas boiler. In the research field of gas boiler flue gas waste heat recovery, the use of gas compression heat pump to recover gas boiler flue gas waste heat is still very few. Based on the principle of reducing the cold source temperature, a low-temperature flue gas recovery scheme of a gas engine-driven compression heat pump coupled condensing gas boiler is proposed. The low-temperature chilled water produced by gas engine-driven compression heat pump is used to recover flue gas waste heat from condensing gas boiler and gas engine, which can improve the utilization efficiency of natural gas and eliminate the “white smoke phenomenon” simultaneously. In addition, the waste heat of flue gas is used as the low-temperature heat source of gas engine-driven compression heat pump to ensure the stable operation of the heat pump in the low-temperature environment. The flue gas waste heat recovery technology has been improved compared with other flue gas waste heat recovery technologies in terms of primary energy utilization efficiency, system stability, corrosion resistance of flue gas heat exchangers, and investment recovery cycle. The experimental results show that when the water inlet temperature of the flue gas heat exchanger is 15℃, the overall power of the unit can reach 645 kW, and the final exhaust temperature is below 25℃. The overall primary energy utilization rate of the GEHP&CB can reach 110 %, which is 10 %∼20 % higher than that of the condensing gas boiler. The payback period of the increased initial investment is 1.4 heating seasons. Due to the improvement of natural gas utilization efficiency significantly reduces natural gas consumption and pollutant discharge.

Biodegradable Hydrogenated Dimer Acid-Based Plasticizers for PLA with Excellent Plasticization, Thermal Stability and Gas Resistance.

The use of vegetable oil-dervied plasticizers to enhance the flexibility of polylactic acid (PLA) has received much attention due to their renewability, inexpensiveness and biodegradation. However, the double bonds in vegetable oil-based plasticizers limit their compatibility with PLA, resulting in PLA-derived products with reduced flexibility. Herein, we examined soybean oil-derived hydrogenated dimer acid-based polyethylene glycol methyl ether esters (HDA-2n, 2n = 2, 4, 6 or 8, referring to the ethoxy units) developed via the direct esterification of saturated hydrogenated dimer acid and polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers. The resulting HDA-2n was first used as a plasticizer for PLA, and the effects of the ethoxy units in HDA-2n on the overall performance of the plasticized PLA were systematically investigated. The results showed that, compared with PLA blended with dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), the PLA plasticized by HDA-8 with the maximum number of ethoxy units (PLA/HDA-8) exhibited better low-temperature resistance (40.1 °C vs. 15.3 °C), thermal stability (246.8 °C vs. 327.6 °C) and gas barrier properties. Additionally, the biodegradation results showed that HDA-8 could be biodegraded by directly burying it in soil. All results suggest that HDA-8 could be used as green alternative to the traditional petroleum-based plasticizer DOTP, which is applied in the PLA industry.

Highly Sensitive Diethylamine Detection at Room Temperature Using g-C3N4 Nanosheets Decorated with CuO Hollow Polyhedral Structures.

Chemiresistive-based metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors are widely used in gas sensing due to their advantageous properties. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and metal oxide heterostructure materials can improve charge transport properties, selectivity, and sensitivity in MOS gas sensor materials. Herein, for the first time, CuO hollow polyhedral structures (HPSs) were synthesized via a hydrothermal technique and annealed at different temperatures, with the 400 °C annealed (CuO-400 HPSs) demonstrating remarkable sensing capabilities for diethylamine (DEA) gas at room temperature (RT). The x-g-C3N4 nanosheets were decorated with CuO HPSs in varying amounts (x = 0.8, 1.8, 2.1, and 3.1 wt %) and then annealed at 400 °C for x-g-C3N4-CuO-400 hollow polyhedral heterostructures (HPHSs). Indeed, among the synthesized samples, the 1.8%-g-C3N4-CuO-400 HPHSs have a higher sensitivity to DEA (resistance change in gas (Rg) and air (Ra); Rg/Ra= 65 @ 20 ppm), a low detection limit (Rg/Ra= 6 @ 500 ppb), wide dynamic response (Rg/Ra= 190 @ 80 ppm), strong stability (30 days), and 21.6 times higher sensitivity than pure CuO at RT toward 20 ppm of DEA. The exceptional gas-sensing behavior can be attributed to various factors, including controlled annealing conditions that result in the formation of well-defined structures and greater porosity, efficient charge transfer properties resulting from an optimized ratio of g-C3N4 to CuO in HPHSs, an abundance of defects, unsaturated Cu sites, and synergistic effects. The study presents a universal strategy for generating sensitive and selective g-C3N4-based composite materials for low-temperature gas sensors.

Study on multidimensional frost heave characteristics and thermal-hydro-mechanical predictive model

The multi-dimensional estimation of frost heave deformation is crucial for predicting soil deformation and the pressure generated during the freezing process. This study offers a comprehensive review and analysis of frost heave characteristics in the heat flow direction and the transverse direction to it. Based on the frost heave test results, an innovative method for calculating the anisotropic parameter has been introduced. This method includes only two parameters: one reflects the more pronounced characteristic of frost heave in the direction of heat flow, and the other represents the sensitivity of anisotropic parameters to constraint stress. Through comparative analysis with experimental results, this method can effectively express the evolution of the anisotropic frost heave with changes of the confining stress in different directions. Then, a combined thermal-hydraulic-mechanical coupling model is established, offering a way of applying the improved model. The coupling model can predict significant frost heave under conditions of sufficient water supply and effectively captures the frost heave characteristics under various temperature and stress boundary conditions. This research contributes significantly to predicting frost heave deformation in low-temperature natural gas pipelines and calculating the frozen soil pressure exerted on the pipelines.

Pore Fractal Characteristics between Marine and Marine–Continental Transitional Black Shales: A Case Study of Niutitang Formation and Longtan Formation

Marine shales from the Niutitang Formation and marine–continental transitional shales from the Longtan Formation are two sets of extremely important hydrocarbon source rocks in South China. In order to quantitatively compare the pore complexity characteristics between marine and marine–continental transitional shales, the shale and kerogen of the Niutitang Formation and the Longtan Formation are taken as our research subjects. Based on organic petrology, geochemistry, and low-temperature gas adsorption analyses, the fractal dimension of their pores is calculated by the Frenkel–Halsey–Hill (FHH) and Sierpinski models, and the influences of total organic carbon (TOC), vitrinite reflectance (Ro), and mineral composition on the pore fractals of the shale and kerogen are discussed. Our results show the following: (1) Marine shale predominantly has wedge-shaped and slit pores, while marine–continental transitional shale has inkpot-shaped and slit pores. (2) Cylindrical pores are common in organic matter of both shale types, with marine shale having a greater gas storage space (CRV) from organic matter pores, while marine–continental transitional shale relies more on inorganic pores, especially interlayer clay mineral pores, for gas storage due to their large specific surface area and high adsorption capacity (CRA). (3) The fractal characteristics of marine and marine–continental transitional shale pores are influenced differently. In marine shale, TOC positively correlates with fractal dimensions, while in marine–continental shale, Ro and clay minerals have a stronger influence. Ro is the primary factor affecting organic matter pore complexity. (4) Our two pore fractal models show that the complexity of the shale in the Longtan Formation surpasses that of the shale in the Niutitang Formation, and type I kerogen has more complex organic matter pores than type III, aiding in evaluating pore connectivity and flow effectiveness in shale reservoirs.

Effect of swirling gas inlet design on particle motion and decomposition in magnesite flash calciner

In this work, a numerical simulation model of an industrial-scale magnesite flash calciner (MFC) was established based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The discrete phase model (DPM) was employed, and the results of kinetic analysis for magnesite decomposition were taken into consideration. Then, the influence of swirling gas inlet design on particle motion and decomposition in MFC was analyzed, thereby providing suggestions for production. The results indicate that incorporating a swirling design can attenuate the particle deposition at the feeding port and increase particle residence time in furnace. However, the conversion degree of magnesite is decreased. This phenomenon can be attributed to the particle accumulation near the wall, resulting in a localized lower gas temperature and subsequently leading to a gas-solid heat transfer degradation. By elevating the gas temperature and reducing its flow rate, the enhancement of magnesite decomposition and reduction in energy consumption are achieved. The gas-solid water equivalent ratio, determined by heat of reaction and sensible heat of flue gas, needs to be higher than 1.8 to maintain a mass fraction of MgO above 0.9.

Experimental Study on Ultra-Low Concentration Methane Regenerative Thermal Oxidation

As a major coal country, China faces the issue of significant gas emissions during the coal mining process. This study aims to improve the utilization efficiency of mine gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote the low-carbon and green transformation of the coal industry. A 10 kW gas regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) experimental system was constructed. The effects of initial methane concentration, low-temperature flue gas proportion, and operating load on combustion temperature, methane oxidation rate, high-temperature flue gas energy, and system thermal efficiency were studied. The results show that when the combustion temperature is below 600 °C, the CH4 combustion reaction cannot proceed effectively, and the system temperature continuously decreases and cannot be maintained stably. The experiment determines the stable operating methane concentration range of the RTO. In this experimental system, the lower limit of the initial methane concentration is 0.28%, corresponding to an 86% methane oxidation rate. As the initial methane concentration decreases, the combustion temperature also decreases, and the methane oxidation rate follows suit. The higher the low-temperature flue gas proportion, the higher the combustion temperature, and the system’s thermal efficiency and output heat decrease with the increase in the low-temperature flue gas proportion. This experiment explores multiple factors affecting regenerative thermal oxidation, providing a basis for ensuring the safe and stable operation of the system and its optimization. Improving the thermal insulation and heat exchange performance of the storage body can expand the lower limit of the initial methane concentration, thereby increasing the stability and thermal efficiency of the system.

Numerical simulation study on growth rate and gas reaction path of InN-MOCVD with Close-Coupled showerhead reactor

Numerical study on the influence of the carrier gas (H2 and N2), V/III ratio, inlet temperature, and pressure on gas reaction path and growth rate of indium nitride (InN) thin film in metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) with close-coupled showerhead (CCS) reactor was conducted. It was found that the concentrations of precursor for InN film and nanoparticle determine the growth rate and gas reaction path. InN exhibits greater difficulty in undergoing pyrolysis reactions compared to AlN and GaN. Under the conditions of this study, the gas reaction path of InN-MOCVD be dominated by adduct/amide formation path. When H2 is used as the carrier gas, the effect of H radicals on gas reactions is relatively minor, while the effect of NH2 radicals generates more nanoparticles, and significant changes in flow fields are observed compared to using N2 as the carrier gas. Under the conditions of low V/III ratio, low inlet temperature, high pressure, and low gas flow rate, the growth rate is relatively high, but the growth uniformity is decreased. There are different reasons for the effects of the above parameters, such as, altering TMIn flow to change V/III ratio and precursor concentration, varying temperature gradient due to changes in inlet temperature, and increased the particle collision frequency and residence time due to high pressure and low gas flow rate.

Low-temperature gas sensing mechanism in β-Ga2O3 nanostructures revealed by near-ambient pressure XPS

Ga2O3 is a promising gas-sensing material that can operate over a wide temperature range. However, despite its relevance for practical applications, there is a lack of understanding regarding its sensing mechanism at temperatures below 800 °C. To reveal the sensing mechanism, GaOOH nanorods were grown on β-Ga2O3 seed layers by chemical bath deposition, then converted to β-Ga2O3 by annealing in the air at 500 °C, and the surface properties were investigated by near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) in the presence of oxidizing/reducing gases. Time-stable shifts in the XPS spectra were used to estimate the relative changes in conductivity in compliance with the ionosorption model. Our results indicate that the sensing mechanism at lower temperatures is governed by redox reactions, leading to an increase/decrease in the conductivity for reducing/oxidizing gases. Furthermore, we provide a detailed description of the ethanol-sensing mechanism at different temperatures.

Constructing N-Pd-O electron bridge between In2O3 nanotubes and g-C3N4 nanosheets to boost explosive gas sensing performance

Portable sensing systems can benefit greatly from low-temperature gas sensors for monitoring low-ppm volatile organic compounds (VOCs), flammable, and explosive gases in enclosed environments. Here, we developed a gas sensor for efficient detection of ethanol and low-concentration H2 at low temperatures, using exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) homogeneously loaded with mixed phases of palladium oxide (PdOx) on indium oxide (In2O3) nanotubes to reduce the operating temperature of the sensor and improve the sensitivity, response speed, and detection limit. The optimal working temperature for the sensor based on the heterojunction of g-C3N4/PdOx and In2O3 nanotubes (ECN-PdOx/In2O3) is reduced from 220 °C to 180 °C as a result of logical catalytic state regulation and the introduction of electronic and chemical sensitization by constructing N-Pd-O electron bridge between In2O3 nanotubes and g-C3N4 nanosheets to boost explosive gas sensing performance. Additionally, the gas-sensitive performance investigation revealed that the response of ECN-PdOx/In2O3 to 100 ppm ethanol was up to 320, which was 17 times higher than that of pristine In2O3 and 3.2 times greater than that of PdO-modified In2O3 (PdO/In2O3). Moreover, the sensor based on ECN-PdOx/In2O3 also showed a clear response of 1.56 to 100 ppb H2, while no obvious response of pristine In2O3 and further calculation and analysis obtained that the detection limit of ECN-PdOx/In2O3 for H2 is as low as 23 ppb.

Evolution of Pore Spaces in Marine Organic-Rich Shale: Insights from Multi-Scale Analysis of a Permian–Pennsylvanian Sample

The quantitative evolution pattern of pore space and genetic pore types along the maturation process in organic-rich shale reservoirs is unclear, which affects the assessment of shale storage capacity and petroleum production. A black shale outcrop sample from Kansas that is of Permian–Pennsylvanian age was collected and subjected to thermal simulation experiments at 10 different maturity stages to understand the pore sizes and pore types. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing were used to characterize the full-scale pore-size distribution and volume evolution of this shale sample by combining low-temperature gas (CO2 and N2) physisorption and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) in order to discuss the effects of hydrocarbon generation and diagenesis (HG&D) on pore development at different pore sizes. The study showed that the original shale sample is dominated by slit-like pores, with mainly organic matter (OM) pores distributed in 0–100 nm, intraparticle pores (Intra-P) of clays distributed in 30–100 nm, and interparticle pores (Inter-P) distributed in 100–1000 nm. With the increase in maturity or Ro, the OM pores increased gradually, and the OM pore-size distribution diverged to the two poles. In the oil generation stage, the OM pores were distributed in the range of 30–100 nm, while in the gas generation stage, the OM-hosted pores were mainly distributed in the range of 10–20 nm and 100–500 nm. Further into the over-maturity stage, the OM pores were mainly distributed in the range of 0–10 nm and >100 nm. The pore volume distribution across the whole pore sizes showed that the pore volume of low-maturity shale samples was mainly provided by 100–1000 nm (macropores), and the pore volumes of 0–2 nm, 30–100 nm and 1000+ nm pores gradually increase with increasing thermal maturity, with the final pore-size distribution having four peaks at 0–2, 30–100, 500–1000 nm, and 10–100 µm. Hydrocarbon generation mainly affects the pore volume in the 0–2 nm and 100–1000 nm intervals, with a positive correlation. The 2–30 nm and 30–100 nm pores were likely controlled by diagenesis, such as mineral transformation, illitization, and cementation during the maturation process.

Abating CO2 and non-CO2 emissions with hydrogen propulsion

Abstract This contribution focuses on the abatement with hydrogen of CO2 and non-CO2 emissions. It is agenda-setting in two respects. Firstly, it challenges the globally accepted hydrocarbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pathway to sustainability and recommends that our industry accelerates along the hydrogen pathway to ‘green’ aviation. Secondly, it reports a philosophical and analytical investigation of appropriate accuracy on abatement strategies for nitrogen oxides and contrails of large hydrogen airliners. For the second contribution, a comparison is made of nitrogen oxide emissions and contrail avoidance options of two hydrogen airliners and a conventional airliner of similar passenger capacity. The hydrogen aircraft are representative of the first and second innovation waves where the main difference is the weight of the hydrogen tanks. Flights of 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 nautical miles are explored. Cranfield’s state of the art simulators for propulsion system integration and gas turbine performance (Orion and Turbomatch) were used for this. There are two primary contributions to knowledge. The first is a new set of questions to be asked of SAF and hydrogen decarbonising features. The second is the quantification of the benefits from hydrogen on non-CO2 emissions. For the second generation of long-range hydrogen-fuelled aircraft having gas turbine propulsion, lighter tanks (needing less thrust and lower gas temperatures) are anticipated to reduce NOx emissions by over 20%; in the case of contrails, the preliminary findings indicate that regardless of the fuel, contrails could largely be avoided with fuel-burn penalties of a few per cent. Mitigating action is only needed for a small fraction of flights. For conventional aircraft this penalty results in more CO2, while for hydrogen aircraft the additional emission is water vapour. The conclusion is that our research community should continue to consider hydrogen as the key ‘greening’ option for aviation, notwithstanding the very significant costs of transition.

Dual-Photosensitizer Synergy Empowers Ambient Light Photoactivation of Indium Oxide for High-Performance NO2 Sensing.

Light-activated chemiresistors offer a powerful approach to achieving lower-temperature gas sensing with unprecedented sensitivities. However, an incomplete understanding of how photoexcited charge carriers enhance sensitivity obstructs the rational design of high-performance sensors, impeding the practical utilization under commonly accessible light sources instead of ultravioletor higher-energy sources. Here, a rational approach is presented to modulate the electronic properties of the parent metal oxide phase, exemplified by this model system of Bi-doped In2O3 nanofibers decorated with Au nanoparticles (NPs) that exhibit superior NO2 sensing performance. Bi doping introduces mid-gap energy levels into In2O3, promoting photoactivation even under visible blue light. Additionally, green-absorbing plasmonic Au NPs facilitate electron transfer across the heterojunction, extending the photoactive region toward the green light. It is revealed that the direct involvement of photogenerated charge carriers in gas adsorption and desorption processes is pivotal for enhancing gas sensing performance. Owing to the synergistic interplay between the Bi dopants and the Au NPs, the Au-BixIn2-xO3 (x=0.04) sensing layers attain impressive response values (Rg/Ra=104 at 0.6ppm NO2) under green light illumination and demonstrate practical viability through evaluation under simulated mixed-light conditions, all of which significantly outperforms previously reported visible light-activated NO2 sensors.

Promotion of Cu/Ce supported red mud for NO removal from low and medium temperature flue gas

Red mud is a solid waste in aluminum industry and has been proven to be an efficient alternative to NOx selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts. Acid washing treatment to red mud can improve its alkalinity and surface properties, and increase the conversion rate of NOx. In this paper, Cu, Ce, and Cu/Ce was supported on acid washed red mud and NOx catalytic conversion performance on metal modified red mud catalysts was studied. The research results indicate that Cu+ and Cu2+ in the Cu supported catalyst effectively promote NO conversion rate of red mud in low-temperature (200–300 °C) flue gas, reaching a maximum of 90.7%; Ce3+ and Ce4+ in Ce supported catalysts effectively promote the NO conversion rate of red mud in flue gas at 200–400 °C, reaching a maximum of 94.0%; Cu/Ce supporting exhibits better NO conversion rate than single metal supported catalysts at low-temperatures, the optimal Cu:Ce ratio for supporting is 1:1; and also exhibits better NO conversion rate than Cu supported catalysts at high-temperature (300–400 °C), reaching a maximum of 95.5%. The reason may be that under the synergistic effect of Cu/Ce, ACRM-Cu1Ce1 has stronger low-temperature redox ability, higher weak acidic peaks, higher average oxidation state of Fe ions, and higher Cu+ content.

A noble-metal-free catalyst with MoC nanorod for low-temperature water gas shift reaction

Water gas shift (WGS) reaction is an important process to remove CO contaminant in industrial hydrogen resources. The efficient catalyst that can work at low temperature is keenly desired to achieve high CO conversion from the viewpoint of thermodynamic equilibrium. Here, we develop a noble-metal-free catalyst of MoC nanorod (MoC NR) with the dominant (200) facet for the low-temperature WGS reaction. It exhibits a high performance with ∼ 100 % CO conversion at 175 °C, better than conventional MoC with the dominant (111) facet or the commercial Cu-based catalyst. Moreover, it shows rather better stability due to the presence of the dominant (200) facet. Various characterizations demonstrate that this facet facilitates MoC NR possessing higher removal capability of surface oxygen species to enhance the stability and lower activation energy to endow higher performance compared with conventional MoC. This study provides important implications for the rational design of cost-effective catalysts for the low-temperature WGS reaction.