(650b) Advanced Ni-Ru Catalyst Design for Converting CO2 Emissions into Fuels and Chemicals

Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) is a sustainable solution to tackle global warming, because CO₂ is converted into valuable fuels and chemicals. In this scenario, the dry reforming of methane (DRM), the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) and the CO₂ methanation that can use CO₂ as a carbon pool were studied. These reactions represent flexible routes for CO₂ upgrading and the development of high-quality heterogeneous catalysts is needed to make CCU a viable solution. In this context, switchable catalysts should be deemed as a necessity, as they allow flexibility in operation and chemical production.

We were the first ones to report the existence of a single catalyst whose aim was to efficiently catalyse three reactions of CO₂ in the gas phase. Activity and stability experiments as well as physiochemical characterisation were carried out for our bimetallic catalysts. These had a combination of nickel (Ni) and ruthenium (Ru) as their active phases. Two different supports were investigated, ceria oxide-alumina oxide (CeO₂-Al₂O₃) and ceria-zirconia oxide (Ce_0.5Zr_0.5O₂), both showing an increased activity in all reactions. However, the NiRu/CeAl showed a higher activity, but also a better stability mainly in the hydrogenation reactions. Therefore, this catalyst was used for the development of Dual Functional Materials (DFMs) that consist of both catalytic and adsorbent supported nanoparticles, that allow the capture and the utilisation of CO₂. DFMs synthesis and characterisation were also carried out showing promising results.

The novelty of this work can be a way of dealing with the excess CO₂ in various scenarios and meeting the net zero carbon target by 2050. The NiRu/CeAl is a promising catalyst that will help in the development of future carbon negative technologies, as depending on the reaction temperature and mixture it will demonstrate high activity and stability in all CO₂ reactions.