An international team led by Liane Rossi, director of the Carbon Capture and Conversion Program at the Research Center for Greenhouse Gas Innovation (RCGI) and professor at the University of Sao Paulo (USP), has published an overview of this promising technology in Science. The RCGI, established by FAPESP and Shell at the University of Sao Paulo, is now backed by multiple industry partners.
"We need to rethink our relationship with carbon dioxide," said Robert Wojcieszak, senior researcher at France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. "Instead of treating it as waste, we can capture CO2 from industrial emissions or the atmosphere and transform it into a valuable resource."
Catalytic particles capture CO2 and hydrogen, breaking their strong bonds to form new molecules. This process is driven by catalysts like CuZnAl (CZA), which has been the industry standard since the 1940s for methanol production. Yet, as Andrew Beale of University College London noted, "when using CZA, the catalytic process prefers a different reaction over direct conversion of CO2 to methanol, limiting efficiency."
CZA catalysts also suffer from aggregation, which reduces their activity over time. "The most active catalysts, usually rich in copper, aggregate the fastest," explained Nikolaos Dimitratos from the University of Bologna. This performance decline underscores the need for better catalysts that can more efficiently and durably convert CO2.
The article highlights promising new catalysts, including indium oxide-based ones, which have achieved conversion efficiencies exceeding 50%. Jingyun Je of Duquesne University reports that copper, zinc oxide, manganese oxide, and a special support material called KIT-6 have delivered high methanol yields at relatively low temperatures.
Rossi emphasized that beyond methanol, the goal is to create a sustainable future powered by various CO2-derived products. However, she cautioned that the source of CO2 and its final use affect the overall environmental impact, and no single solution is perfect.
The authors analyzed key factors affecting heterogeneous catalyst performance in CO2 hydrogenation, strategies for enhancing stability, and recent breakthroughs. They also discussed historical insights and reaction mechanisms. While palladium-indium catalysts show potential, their high costs pose challenges.
Wojcieszak concluded, "We still lack a full understanding of molecular-level reactions and catalyst deactivation." Yet, he expressed optimism that advances in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and real-time analysis will soon unlock more efficient pathways.
Research Report:Hydrogenation of CO2 for sustainable fuel and chemical production
Related Links
Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo
Bio Fuel Technology and Application News
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
