Studying the selectivity control of promoted FTS catalysts using infra-red techniques

Catalysis is a key technology for multiple industries and will play a critical role to achieve net zero ambitions. In 2020 bp set a goal of being a net zero company by 2050 or sooner and helping the world get to net zero. This EPSRC/bp funded iCASE PhD aims to investigate Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology for the conversion of waste/biomass or CO2 into ultra clean fuels. This processes has demonstrated that it can achieve a reduction in emissions of 80% emission over landfilling, and was recently accredited with Advancing Low Carbon (ALC) through external assessments. The Fulcrum Sierra plant will start up in 2022 for waste to fuels conversion and this is both an exciting and critical time for the technology development. Specifically this research will utilise in-situ surface infrared spectroscopy and structural techniques to understand the surface speciation, the active site and structure-activity/selectivity relationships for a range of FT catalysts.