New Bimetallic Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation to Chemicals and Fuels for Sustainable Energy Development

Abstract for AIChE CO2 Symp – Nov 2016

New Bimetallic Catalysts for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Chemicals and Fuels for Sustainable Energy Development

 

Professor Chunshan SONG*

EMS Energy Institute, Dept of Energy & Mineral Engineering, and Dept of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

*Email: csong@psu.edu; Tel: 814-863-4466;  Fax: 814-865-3573

Capturing CO₂ and converting it into chemicals, materials, and fuels using H₂ produced with renewable energy, is an important path for sustainable development and a major challenge in 21^st century. CO₂ has become a plentiful source of carbon, and there are long-term merits in using CO₂ as a feed for chemicals and materials and as a carrier for energy. The concentrated CO₂ can be used for manufacturing chemicals (lower olefins such as ethylene and propylene, methanol, and carbonates), and fuels (such as liquid transportation fuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuels, or synthetic natural gas). Effective use of catalysis and adsorption over nano-porous materials can decouple the traditional link between energy utilization and negative environmental impacts. As an example, the hydrogenation of CO₂ (using H₂ produced from H₂O using renewable energy) over novel bimetallic catalysts can selectively produce either C₂-C₄⁼ olefins (and C5+ liquid hydrocarbons) using Fe-Co catalysts, or methanol over Pd-Cu catalysts. Nano-structured catalysts based on hollow zeolite-encapsulated Ni nanoparticles can create a highly stable and carbon-resistant catalysts for co-conversion of CO₂ and CH₄ in bio-gas to syngas for chemicals and ultra-clean fuels.