2025/06/09 by Irankhah, Abdullah, Hossein Mirzaei, Zahra, Ranjbar, Atieh
Chemical Engineering · Materials Science · #Advanced Combustion Engine Technologies #Catalysts for Methane Reforming #Catalytic Processes in Materials Science #Fe-Cu catalysts #Methane combustion #MgO #Precipitation #Solid solution
paper · doi:10.57647/ijc.2026.1601.03
openalex publication_date 2025/06/09 · openalex created_date 2025/12/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
The catalytic performance of xFe/MgO (x=10, 15, 20 wt.%) and Cu-promoted 15Fe-yCu/MgO (y=3, 5 wt.%) catalysts, fabricated via impregnation techniques on a precipitation-derived MgO support, was investigated for methane combustion. Maximum activity was observed for the 20Fe/MgO formulation, exhibiting light-off temperatures T₁₀ and T₅₀ of 412°C and 463°C, respectively. This superior activity is correlated with its physicochemical properties, namely a high specific surface area (49.70 m²·g⁻¹), small crystallite size (22 nm), and presence of abundant Fe active sites on the surface of MgO or within Mg₁₋ₓFeₓO solid solution. In contrast, Cu promotion detrimentally affected performance, an effect ascribed to the blockage or fundamental alteration of the active sites and agglomeration of particles. The 20Fe/MgO catalyst further demonstrated notable operational stability, maintaining >80% CH₄ conversion during a 25-hour time-on-stream analysis at 550°C. XRD characterization of the spent catalyst indicated progression of solid solution formation following the reaction.