{
  "abstract": "Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is a cornerstone technology for the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals. However, the conversion of CO2-containing syngas is fundamentally limited by the quasi-inert behavior of CO2 under low-temperature FTS conditions. In this work, we systematically evaluate the carbon-efficiency limits of conventional FTS process configurations using process simulations. Representative industrial cases are analyzed, including a single-reactor system, recycle-loop configurations, reactor cascading, and reforming-assisted operation. While process intensification strategies increase CO conversion above 90%, overall carbon efficiency saturates at 70–75% due to CO2 accumulation. To overcome this limitation, we demonstrate that incorporating a tail-gas methanation unit enables near-complete carbon utilization (>99%) by converting residual CO and CO2 into grid-compatible e-methane. The effect is particularly pronounced in non-reforming configurations, where carbon efficiency increases from 58–73% in the FTS approach to ∼99% due to methanation of residual COx species, effectively compensating for their limited carbon utilization in FTS. In addition, methanation requires only a minor reactor-scale penalty, with catalyst loads remaining two orders of magnitude lower than those of FTS units (≈0.3–3.5 wt%), owing to the high reactivity and low flow rate of the tail gas. Compared with reforming-based strategies, methanation provided smaller reactor beds and a less heat-intensive pathway for carbon recovery.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "aCatalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jardins de Les Dones de Negre 1, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930, Spain.bFacultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1, Barcelona 08028, Spain.",
    "aCatalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jardins de Les Dones de Negre 1, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930, Spain."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "M. Amine Lwazzani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Andrés A. García Blanco"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Joan Ramón Morante"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jordi Guilera",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7184-6404"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/08yd2ptkjagj4.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6su00298f",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pubs.rsc.org/su/article-pdf/4/11/3907/14697100/d6su00298f.pdf",
  "id": "08yd2ptkjagj4",
  "issns": [
    "2753-8125"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6su00298f",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "GE1-350"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "HD72-88"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1503|Catalysts for Methane Reforming"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204465734",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-01",
  "publisher": "The Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/08yd2ptkjagj4.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T14:21:01Z",
      "native_id": "2f648b3fa82445a3a080d01e178a9b66",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6su00298f"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1503|Catalysts for Methane Reforming",
      "subfield": "catalysis"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Promoting complete carbon utilization in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis by tail-gas methanation",
  "title_text": "Promoting complete carbon utilization in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis by tail-gas methanation",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T14:20:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/08yd2ptkjagj4",
  "venue": "RSC Sustainability",
  "versions": []
}