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Research Project Profile

Integrated Nanoscale Catalysts for the Conversion of CO2 to Chemicals and Fuels

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PI: Cynthia Lo, Washington University in St. Louis
Co-PIs: John Gleaves, Washington University in St. Louis; Gregory Yablonsky, Washington University in St. Louis; Milorad Dudukovic, Washington University in St. Louis; Moshe Sheintuch, Technion University, Israel

Research and design of integrated nanoparticle catalysts for CO2 conversion to liquid fuels, via molecular modeling, microscale kinetics, and macroscopic process engineering


cartoon

CO2 adsorption on metal oxide support

Ethanol desorption from noble metal nanoparticle catalyst

 


TAP reactor

TAP reactor (Courtesy: Mithra Technologies)

Project summary

We propose to use carbon dioxide and methane as precursors for the direct synthesis of liquid transportation fuels and other value-added chemicals. Heterogeneous nanoscale catalysts will be designed, synthesized, and characterized for their suitability in CO2 conversion. The catalyst design will be guided by theoretical and computational studies. The theoretical studies will provide estimates of kinetic parameters for adsorption of CO2 and CH4 on different metal and metal oxide structures, which will then be tested and "tuned" in an iterative process based on experimental kinetic adsorption data on different nanoparticles, obtained via nonsteady-state experiments using the temporal analysis of products (TAP) approach. The most promising catalyst configurations will be tested in microreactors at Technion and Washington University.

WU EngineeringTechnion
 

The Consortium is under the umbrella of the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES)
International collaborations are fostered through the McDonnell Academy Global Energy & Environment Partnership (MAGEEP)