Nanophased Iron Carbides as Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation

Nanophase carbides obtained by ball milling elemental iron and carbon powders at room temperature (mechanochemical synthesis or mechanosynthesis) are shown to be more active and selective in the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide than Fe/C mixtures and coarse-grained conventionally synthesized carbides; a positive effect is also observed for a ball-milled commercial cementite powder.