https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0611/c90000-20326398.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c03380
Zeng Jie and colleagues from Anhui University of Technology, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Toyama, Japan, have created a novel composite catalyst for the synthesis of paraxylene from carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2). The composite catalyst, K-FeMn/Hollow ZSM-5, enables the efficient hydrogenation of CO2 to p-X by integrating two synergistic catalytic functions. The K-FeMn component facilitates the reverse water-gas shift reaction and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis to olefin processes, generating light olefin intermediates. These intermediates are subsequently transformed to p-X within the hollow ZSM-5 zeolite through oligomerization, cyclization, and aromatization.
Paraxylene is a vital raw material for producing polyester fibers and other chemical products, with China’s annual demand exceeding 30 million tonnes. Current industrial production primarily relies on catalytic reforming of heavy oil, consuming approximately 4 tonnes of petroleum and emitting about 3 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of paraxylene produced.
