HiSiaddi is an innovative foreign trade service provider driven by dual engines of technology commercialization and export services. We have established a service system summarized as “1+2+3+4=1” and can supply authentic FEC catalysts sourced from multiple well-known original manufacturers. As an export service provider with independent R&D capabilities, HiSiaddi has repeatedly collaborated with manufacturers on technology transformation and accurately captured market demands to resolve customized development requests for FEC catalysts. Below is a customer case of customized FEC catalyst development delivered by HiSiaddi.
Contact HiSiaddi’s customer service for more customized development support.
The client is NORFUEL AS, a high-end energy technology firm headquartered in Oslo, Norway. The company focuses on Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) and green hydrogen projects, serving major Nordic energy groups and EU low-carbon industrial chains. It complies with EU REACH Regulation, ISO 14064 carbon neutrality standards and ATEX explosion-proof directives, and sets world-class requirements for catalyst high-temperature stability, sulfur poisoning resistance, long service life and low-carbon selectivity, qualifying as a premium overseas mid-to-high-end client.
Develop a highly stable iron-carbide Fischer-Tropsch (FEC) catalyst based on Fe₅C₂ phase for converting natural gas-derived syngas (CO+H₂) into clean C₅–C₁₂ fuel oil with high selectivity. Under operating conditions of 300–320 °C and 2.5 MPa:
1. CO conversion rate ≥92%
2. C₅–C₁₂ hydrocarbon selectivity ≥85%
3. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) tolerance ≥50 ppm
4. Service life ≥8,000 hours
5. Cobalt-free & precious metal-free formulation (to cut costs and lower carbon footprint) Annual customized order volume: 300 tons, with exclusive formula development, intellectual property protection, continuous mass production and full batch traceability.
Existing catalysts available in the Nordic market are monopolized by European and American giants, suffering from 40% price premium, long delivery lead times, poor sulfur resistance and only 5,000-hour service life. The client previously contacted three domestic Chinese manufacturers, all of which failed to break through three core technical bottlenecks: balancing low-temperature activity and high-temperature stability, resisting sulfur poisoning, and precise control of pure Fe₅C₂ phase. Furthermore, these manufacturers only offered standardized off-the-shelf products, refused deep customization, declined to disclose core formulas and lacked formal confidentiality protocols. Faced with technological bottlenecks, runaway costs and imminent project delays, the client urgently appointed HiSiaddi as its exclusive partner to conduct technical R&D, confidential mass production and compliant delivery.
1.
Material Structure Barrier: Uncontrollable pure Fe₅C₂ phase & imbalance between activity and stability Conventional FEC catalysts tend to generate impurity phases (Fe₃O₄, Fe₃C), leading to insufficient low-temperature activity (conversion <80%) and sharp activity decline above 320 °C due to sintering. The client requires pure Fe₅C₂ phase content ≥90%, particle size 20–30 nm and metal dispersion ≥85% — metrics unattainable via traditional carbonization processes.
2.
3.
Sulfur Poisoning Resistance Barrier: Trace sulfur in feed gas causes irreversible catalyst deactivation The syngas feed contains 30–50 ppm H₂S. Standard FEC catalysts strongly adsorb sulfur, poisoning active sites; conversion drops below 70% after only 1,000 hours of runtime. A lattice doping and surface modification strategy is required to build a sulfur-resistant barrier without sacrificing catalytic activity or product selectivity.
4.
5.
Long-Term Stability Barrier: Pulverization & carbon deposition under high temperature and pressure shorten service life At 320 °C and 2.5 MPa, conventional catalysts exhibit low mechanical strength (<80 N per pellet) and are prone to pulverization; carbon deposition rate exceeds 1.5 wt% per 1,000 hours, clogging catalyst pores. Specifications required: crush strength ≥120 N per pellet, carbon deposition rate ≤0.5 wt% per 1,000 hours, service life ≥8,000 hours.
6.
7.
Customization & IP Confidentiality Barrier: Exclusive formula requires full intellectual property protection, while manufacturers refuse to disclose core technology The client demanded an exclusive custom formulation branded NORFEC-100, a ban on third-party sales and a formal Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Domestic manufacturers hesitated to cooperate deeply over risks of technology leakage, high customization costs and complex mass production workflows, only willing to supply generic catalysts.
8.
HiSiaddi assembled a dedicated cross-functional team consisting of FEC catalyst specialists, material R&D engineers, production technologists, compliance consultants and confidentiality officers. Collaborating with the Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sinopec Dalian Research Institute, we rolled out a six-step closed-loop solution: Formula Customization → Lab-Scale R&D → Pilot Verification → Exclusive Mass Production → Confidential Delivery → Lifelong Technical Support. Technical breakthroughs were achieved within 60 days, and exclusive mass production launched within 90 days.
(1) Precise control of pure Fe₅C₂ phase to balance activity and thermal stability Core formulation: Fe₃O₄ precursor + SiO₂ carrier (pore structure regulation) + K promoter (electronic modification) + Mn dopant (lattice stabilization) Process innovation: Patented two-stage process combining low-temperature pre-reduction (280 °C) and gradient carbonization (heating from 300 °C to 320 °C under CO/H₂ = 1:2), enabling precise regulation of Fe₅C₂ crystal growth. Deliverables: Pure Fe₅C₂ phase content ≥92%, particle size 22–28 nm, metal dispersion ≥88%. At 300 °C, CO conversion reaches 93.5%; at 320 °C conversion hits 92.8%, with negligible sintering and outstanding high-temperature stability.
(2) Mn lattice doping + ZrO₂ surface coating to construct sulfur-resistant protective layer Anti-sulfur modification: 3 wt% Mn lattice doping modulates Fe₅C₂ electronic structure to suppress sulfur adsorption; a 2–3 nm ultra-thin ZrO₂ coating forms a physical barrier isolating H₂S from active sites. Deliverables: Under 50 ppm H₂S operating conditions, CO conversion remains above 91% after 2,000 hours of continuous operation with no obvious poisoning, achieving world-leading sulfur resistance performance.
(3) Core-shell structural design + high-strength forming to boost long-cycle stability Structural design: Fe₅C₂@SiO₂ core-shell architecture — the inner core delivers high catalytic activity while the outer shell enhances mechanical strength and inhibits carbon deposition. Forming process: Extrusion molding followed by high-temperature calcination at 550 °C to produce Φ3×5 mm cylindrical pellets. Physical indicators: Crush strength ≥130 N per pellet, specific surface area 180–200 m²/g, pore volume 0.35–0.40 cm³/g. Deliverables: Carbon deposition rate ≤0.4 wt% per 1,000 hours, service life ≥8,500 hours, fully meeting long-cycle operation requirements.
· Tripartite NDA executed between HiSiaddi, the client and manufacturing partner, explicitly stipulating that custom formulas, processes and production parameters constitute the client’s exclusive IP and prohibiting disclosure, replication or sales to any third party.
· Isolated production system: A dedicated independent workshop, equipment and production team deployed at the manufacturer’s facility. Raw material formulation is managed by designated personnel, production runs fully enclosed and all production records encrypted for archiving.
· Exclusive branding & marking: Product named NORFEC-100, laser-engraved with client proprietary logo, batch numbers and traceability codes to eliminate cross-contamination and unauthorized outflow.
· Formal IP ownership certification: Official document confirming all customized formulas and manufacturing processes belong to the client, supporting international patent filings.
· Lab-scale testing (1 L reactor): 5 rounds of formula iteration to optimize carbonization temperature, reduction atmosphere and promoter ratios, with 100% compliance against all performance targets.
· Pilot-scale testing (100 L fixed-bed reactor): Simulated actual client operating conditions (320 °C, 2.5 MPa, 50 ppm H₂S) with 1,000-hour continuous operation. CO conversion stabilized above 92%, C₅–C₁₂ selectivity above 86%, no pellet pulverization observed and carbon deposition controlled below 0.4 wt%.
· Dedicated mass production line: RMB 8 million invested for production line retrofitting, delivering an annual capacity of 500 tons to fulfill the client’s 300-ton annual demand with reserved expansion capacity.
· First batch mass production (50 tons): Strict implementation of customized manufacturing processes. Full batch testing results: Fe₅C₂ purity 93%, CO conversion 93.2%, C₅–C₁₂ selectivity 86.5%, crush strength 135 N per pellet, service life 8,700 hours — all indicators exceeding contracted specifications.
· REACH Registration: Supported the client to complete REACH substance registration, submitting full Technical Dossiers (TD), Chemical Safety Reports (CSR) and 253-substance SVHC screening reports with no restricted substances detected above thresholds.
· Explosion-proof & safety compliance: Products fully compliant with ATEX directives, complete with explosion-proof test reports, bilingual GHS MSDS and CLP-compliant labeling.
· Full batch traceability: End-to-end traceability system covering raw material intake through finished product delivery. Each batch is accompanied by traceability reports, full test certificates and process parameter logs to satisfy EU full-lifecycle traceability mandates.
Core delivered performance indicators: CO conversion: 93.2% (requirement ≥92%) C₅–C₁₂ selectivity: 86.5% (requirement ≥85%) H₂S tolerance: 50 ppm (fully compliant) Service life: 8,700 hours (requirement ≥8,000 hours) Crush strength: 135 N per pellet (requirement ≥120 N per pellet)
Competitive advantages vs. Western alternatives: 35% lower procurement cost, 50% shorter delivery lead time, 60% improved sulfur resistance, 70% extended service life — completely dismantling the dual monopoly of technology and pricing.
The first 50-ton batch of exclusive NORFEC-100 catalyst was produced under fully enclosed conditions, transported via encrypted logistics and delivered exclusively to the client with zero risk of confidential information leakage. Client post-acceptance feedback: “HiSiaddi has not only resolved our core technological bottlenecks but also protected our proprietary intellectual property through rigorous confidentiality protocols, establishing them as a strategic long-term partner worthy of deep collaboration.”
A 5-year exclusive customized supply contract was signed for annual supply of 300 tons with a total contract value exceeding RMB 200 million. The client appointed HiSiaddi as its sole global partner for all FEC catalyst customization, manufacturing, delivery and technical service. Leveraging the custom NORFEC-100 catalyst, the client’s GTL project launched six months ahead of schedule, cutting production costs by 28% and raising fuel purity to 99.9%, enabling successful market penetration into Nordic premium fuel segments.
A complete technical system for high-stability Fischer-Tropsch FEC catalyst customization was established, covering five core modules: formula design, process control, anti-sulfur modification, confidential mass production and compliant delivery. This technical framework is replicable for Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, hydrogenation catalysts and specialty catalytic material custom development, empowering more overseas mid-to-high-end clients to resolve technical bottlenecks.
When overseas mid-to-high-end clients source customized FEC catalysts, their core pain points include Western technological monopolies, high customization barriers, unresolved technical bottlenecks, inadequate IP protection and low manufacturer collaboration willingness. Conventional manufacturers lack sufficient technical strength, robust confidentiality protocols and customer-centric mindset, making them unable to satisfy deep customization and confidentiality requirements of premium foreign buyers.
Backed by top-tier integrated technical resources, full-lifecycle customized service workflows, industry-leading confidentiality frameworks and strict compliance governance, HiSiaddi resolved five core client challenges comprehensively:
1. Technical R&D: Partnered with top domestic research institutions to overcome three bottlenecks of pure Fe₅C₂ phase control, sulfur poisoning resistance and long-cycle stability, delivering performance exceeding contracted standards.
2. Exclusive Customization: Developed client-specific formulas, dedicated production lines and proprietary product branding fully aligned with client operating conditions and performance targets.
3. Intellectual Property Protection: Tripartite NDAs, isolated manufacturing facilities and formal IP ownership certificates guarantee absolute security of core client technology.
4. Compliant Delivery: Completed REACH registration, ATEX explosion-proof certification and full batch traceability to satisfy EU high-end industrial standards.
5. Long-Term Lifecycle Support: 5-year exclusive supply, continuous technical iteration and after-sales service to accelerate client project commercialization and market expansion.
This engagement not only helped the client break Western technological monopolies, reduce costs, shorten project timelines and boost product competitiveness, but also secured deep long-term exclusive cooperation. Meanwhile, we built a replicable capability for high-end catalytic material customization, facilitating the global expansion of China’s advanced chemical technologies and products into premium international markets.
Contact HiSiaddi’s customer service to enquire about customized development solutions.
+86-13120989737 
info@hisiaddi.com 
English
