Catalyst for syngas conversion to light olefins

1. A catalyst comprising:

a metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

from 85 mol % to 95 mol % iron metal;

from 15 mol % to 5 mol % indium metal, and

a support impregnated with the metallic catalytic composition in a nanoparticle form, wherein the nanoparticle form of the metallic catalytic composition is defined by at least one iron salt and at least one indium salt having been introduced to the support then exposed to a reduction agent to reduce the iron salt and indium salt into the iron metal and the indium metal to form the catalytic composition on the support;

wherein mol % is based on total moles of iron metal and indium metal.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is void of a component selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon, and combinations thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the support component is alumina.

4. The composition of claim 3 consisting of

from 9.7 wt % to 9.9 wt % iron metal;

from 1 wt % to 3 wt % indium metal; and

from 87.3 wt % to 89.1 wt % alumina.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the metallic catalytic composition consists of 90 mol % iron metal and 10 mol % indium metal, based on the total moles of iron and indium.

6. The catalyst composition of claim 4 wherein when the catalyst composition is contacted with a gaseous mixture comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen and optionally water under reaction conditions, and the catalyst composition has

from 40% to 60% light olefin selectivity,

less than or equal to 20 wt % CO 2 selectivity, and

less than or equal to 25 wt % methane selectivity.

7. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein a surface residence time of CH 4 on the catalyst composition is greater than 10 seconds.

8. A metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

from 85 mol % to 95 mol % iron metal;

from 15 mol % to 5 mol % indium metal,

wherein mol % is based on total moles of iron metal and indium metal.

9. A catalyst consisting of:

a metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

from 85 mol % to 95 mol % iron metal;

from 15 mol % to 5 mol % indium metal, and

having a support impregnated with at least one iron salt and at least one indium salt and exposed to a mixture of H 2 /N 2 gas to provide the iron metal and the indium metal on the support;

wherein mol % is based on total moles of iron metal and indium metal.

10. A catalyst consisting essentially of:

a metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

from 85 mol % to 95 mol % iron metal;

from 15 mol % to 5 mol % indium metal, and

having a support impregnated with at least one iron salt and at least one indium salt and exposed to a mixture of H 2 /N 2 gas to provide the iron metal and the indium metal on the support;

wherein mol % is based on total moles of iron metal and indium metal, and

wherein the support is a mixture of delta phase and gamma phase alumina.

11. A metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

9 wt % iron;

1 wt % indium, and

89.1 wt % alumina.

12. A metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

8 wt % iron;

2 wt % indium, and

88.2 wt % alumina.

13. A metallic catalytic composition consisting of:

7 wt % iron;

3 wt % indium, and

87.3 wt % alumina.

14. A process comprising:

contacting, under reaction conditions, a gaseous mixture comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen and optionally water with the catalyst composition of claim 1 comprising

forming a reaction product comprising light olefins wherein the reaction conditions comprise a tubular reactor at a reaction temperature from 150° C. to 450° C., a pressure from 1 bar to 6 bar and a H 2 :CO ratio from 1-3:1.

15. The process of claim 14 comprising

exposing, before the contacting, the catalyst composition to a mixture of H 2 /N 2 gas at a temperature from 350° C. to 450° C.; and

reducing the iron and indium.

16. The process of claim 14 comprising forming a reaction product comprising

from 40 wt % to 60 wt % light olefin,

less than or equal to 20 wt % CO 2 , and

less than or equal to 25 wt % methane.