Towards the comparison synthesis of Fe3O4 nanocatalysts using two different systems in Fischer–Tropsch process

Two types of nanocatalyst were synthesized using two different catalytic systems Fe3O4/ paraffin/polymethyl methacrylate (Fe3O4/pr/PMMA) and Fe3O4/paraffin/urotropine (Fe3O4/Pr/Uro) in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) and downloaded in the slurry-bed reactor (SBR), their effect in the FTS performance and liquid hydrocarbons productivity were studied. The thermal decomposition method was used to prepare the nanoiron oxide nanocatalysts using the two systems. The results show that the two different systems affect the sizes of particle and gave nanoparticles with various sizes. The Fe3O4/paraffin/polymethyl methacrylate system nanocatalysts show good adsorption of syngas (CO:H2), with high activity as compared to Fe3O4/paraffin/urotropin in the FTS system. In addition, the polymethyl methacrylate polymer has enhanced the interaction between Fe3O4 NPs and CO:H2 molecule, leading improved syngas chemical adsorption and the formation of liquid hydrocarbons at all experimental temperatures, but with urotropin the conversion of CO was reduced when heated over 260 °C, and leading to lower the liquid hydrocarbons formation. KEY WORDS: Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, Iron oxide nanoparticles, Polymethyl methacrylate, Urotropin. Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2025, 39(3), 503-514. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v39i3.9