Electronic–Oxygen Synergy at Ca-Fe Dual-Metal Interfaces for Selective Syngas Regulation in Biomass Chemical Looping Gasification

This study reveals the efficient catalytic role of Ca-Fe-based oxygen carriers (Ca<sub>2</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>) in biomass chemical looping gasification. With oxygen carrier introduction, the CO yield doubled (0.13 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg→0.26 Nm&...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yijie Wang, Jiajie Li, Sitao Zhu, Michael Hitch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/7/1471
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Summary:This study reveals the efficient catalytic role of Ca-Fe-based oxygen carriers (Ca<sub>2</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>) in biomass chemical looping gasification. With oxygen carrier introduction, the CO yield doubled (0.13 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg→0.26 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg), with 76.10% selectivity. Steam co-feeding further increased the H<sub>2</sub> yield from 0.19 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg to 0.72 Nm<sup>3</sup>/kg, significantly elevating the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio to 2.62. Combined with density functional theory (DFT), the micro-mechanism of reduced oxygen carrier surfaces activating CO<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O was elucidated. CO<sub>2</sub> (adsorption charge −0.952 |e|) and H<sub>2</sub>O (adsorption charge −0.612 |e|) chemically adsorb at the CaO(111)/Fe(110) interface, where Fe atoms (charges 0.433 |e|, 0.927 |e|) act as electron donors to drive efficient molecule activation. CO<sub>2</sub> undergoes single-step splitting (CO<sub>2</sub>→CO* + O*), with the desorption energy barrier (<i>E</i><sub>a</sub> = 1.09 eV, 105.17 kJ/mol) determining the reaction rate. H<sub>2</sub>O splits via two-step cleavage (H<sub>2</sub>O→HO* + H*→2H* + O*), which is rate-limited by the first step (<i>E</i><sub>a</sub> = 0.42 eV, 40.52 kJ/mol). Simultaneously, the reduced oxygen carrier achieves oxidative regeneration through surface O* lattice incorporation. This work atomically reveals the “electron transfer–oxygen transport” synergy at the Ca-Fe bimetallic interface, establishing a theoretical framework for the directional regulation of the syngas composition and the design of high-performance oxygen carriers.
ISSN:1420-3049