Abstract
A highly active and stable SO(2) reduction catalyst, 3%La-15%Fe/γ-Al(2)O(3), was successfully synthesized using γ-Al(2)O(3) derived from coal gangue. The structural properties of the synthesized catalyst were analyzed using XPS, SEM, TEM, EDS, BET, XRD, and H(2)-TPR. Characterization studies revealed a high BET specific surface area of 288.55 m(2)/g for the coal gangue-derived mesoporous γ-Al(2)O(3). Furthermore, lanthanum doping inhibited iron crystallite growth, enhancing dispersion on the support and contributing to superior catalytic performance. Under optimized conditions (380 °C, 6000 h(-1) GHSV, and a CO/SO(2) ratio of 2), the catalyst achieved 98.92 ± 1.3% SO(2) conversion and 99.43 ± 0.7% selectivity to elemental sulfur. This high performance remained stable for over 50 h, demonstrating the catalyst's potential for industrial application. The utilization of coal gangue-derived γ-Al(2)O(3) offers both economic and environmental benefits by providing a cost-effective support material and addressing coal gangue disposal challenges. This work presents a promising strategy for sustainable SO(2) abatement and resource utilization.