Conversion of CO2 to methanol over bifunctional basic-metallic catalysts

Application of Solid-Supported Amines for Thermocatalytic Reactive CO2 Capture

Reactive CO2 capture (RCC) is a promising strategy for process intensification of carbon capture and conversion for production of low-carbon fuels and chemicals. As state-of-the-art sorbent materials in point source and direct air capture systems, solid-supported amines are a natural choice to pair with supported CO2 hydrogenation catalysts (e.g., metallic nanoparticles) for developing high-capacity sorbent-catalyst materials for use in RCC. In this Perspective, we summarize the relevant literature combining solid-supported amines with metallic nanoparticles for thermocatalytic RCC and detail two of our own case studies using RCC to synthesize methane and methanol. Our observations suggest that the temperature mismatch between CO2 desorption and reaction, along with potential catalyst site poisoning by grafted aminosilanes, is a significant obstacle to realizing the potential of amine-based RCC materials in the decarbonization of chemical production. This stands in contrast to literature detailing successful RCC using liquid amines and solid catalysts, which may benefit from more favorable mass transfer dynamics, as well as early stage reports into RCC solid-phase amine-Pd materials, whose findings we were not able to replicate. More judicious reaction selection and synthetic design strategies to match materials with process conditions offer alternative pathways for future research.

Multi-Functional Polymer Membranes Enable Integrated CO2 Capture and Conversion in a Single, Continuous-Flow Membrane Reactor under Mild Conditions

Herein, we present a membrane-based system designed to capture CO2 from dilute mixtures and convert the captured CO2 into value-added products in a single integrated process operated continuously under mild conditions. Specifically, we demonstrate that quaternized poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) membranes are selective CO2 separation membranes that are also catalytically active for cyclic carbonate synthesis from the cycloaddition of CO2 to epichlorohydrin. We further demonstrate that quaternized P4VP membranes can integrate CO2 capture, including from dilute mixtures down to 0.1 kPa of CO2, with CO2 conversion to cyclic carbonates at 57 °C and atmospheric pressure. The catalytic membrane acts as both the CO2 capture and conversion medium, providing an energy-efficient alternative to sorbent-based capture, compression, transport, and storage. The membrane is also potentially tunable for the conversion of CO2 to a variety of products, including chemicals and fuels not limited to cyclic carbonates, which would be a transformative shift in carbon capture and utilization technology.

Infrared spectroscopic monitoring of solid-state processes

We put a spotlight on IR spectroscopic investigations in materials science by providing a critical insight into the state of the art, covering both fundamental aspects, examples of its utilisation, and current challenges and perspectives focusing on the solid state.