Upgrading biomass-derived syngas to liquid fuels via Fischer–Tropsch synthesis using nanostructured catalysts

The switch to the sustainable and low-carbon energy system has increased interest in the use of syngas output in biomass as renewable feedstock in the production of synthetic liquid fuels. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) offers a versatile thermochemical way to refine this syngas into high quality hydrocarbons including the possible production of ultra-clean diesel, jet fuel, and value-added chemicals. In recent years the use of nanostructured catalysts has allowed unprecedented control to be exerted over the dispersion of the active sites, the surface facet exposure, electronic properties of the catalyst surface and the metal-support interactions bringing not only improvements in the activity, selectivity and stability of FTS catalysts but massive improvements across the board. The paper is a methodical exposure of the entire biomass gasification and syngas conditioning to liquid fuel production value chain that profiles the guiding factors, reactor schemes, and the process conditions that support FTS. It focuses specifically on fundamentals of design, synthesis, and mechanism of nanostructured catalysts nanostructured catalysts-nanoparticle, nanorod, nanotube, nanoshape, core shell, yolk-shell structures-and how nanoscale effects whether confinement, size-tuning, or strong metal-support interaction affect CO adsorption, chain growth, and the distribution of the products. Moreover, current research dynamics and case studies are also explained to allow understanding of the performance optimization and scalability strategies. Nano catalyst FTS is another effective potential toward achievement of biomass-to-liquids (BTL) processes with sustainable flexibility and high efficiency via gasification of biomass.