Preparation of Hydrogen Storage Liquid Fuel by Biomass-Based Syngas from Corn Straw over a C60 Modified Hydrophobic Catalyst

Alcohols, being a substantial category of hydrogen storage liquid fuels, exhibit promising development potential. Alcohol-based hydrogen storage liquid fuels can be efficiently produced from biomass-derived syngas (CO and H2). Considerable efforts have been made in the conversion of syngas to alcohols through a higher alcohol synthesis (HAS) reaction. However, inevitably, there will be significant generation of H2O and C1 byproducts (CO2 and CH4). In this study, a hydrophobic CoCuSNT@C60 catalyst modified with fullerene (C60, an all-carbon cage molecule) was designed to hinder the formation of H2O and C1 byproducts. The hydrophobic C60 shortened the retention of H2O on the active site interface, restraining the water–gas shift reaction. This leads to a significant decrease in CO2 generation, accompanied by an increase in the CO conversion and selectivity toward alcohols. The hydrophobic CoCuSNT@C60 catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Compared to the unmodified CoCuSNT, the C60-modified hydrophobic CoCuSNT@C60 catalyst possesses higher CO hydrogenation activity and high alcohol selectivity, along with an impressive stability of up to 350 h to meet industrial applications.