Direct Coal Liquefaction with Fe3O4 Nanocatalysts Prepared by a Simple Solid-State Method

Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared by a simple solid-state method under ambient conditions. The obtained nanoparticles, with small size and large surface area, were used as a catalyst for direct coal liquefaction (DCL). The results display that high conversion and oil yield were achieved with the nanocatalysts in direct liquefaction of two kinds of coals, i.e., Heishan coal and Dahuangshan coal. The effects of the temperature, initial H2 pressure, and holding time on conversion and product distribution have been investigated in the catalytic hydrogenation of Dahuangshan coal. The optimal reaction condition for DCL in which conversion and oil yield are 96.6 and 60.4 wt % was determined with Fe3O4 nanocatalysts. This facile solid-state route is beneficial for scale-up synthesis of iron-based catalysts with good performance for DCL.