(114c) Mechanistic Insights in the Hydrogenation of CO2 over Multi Component Systems

The direct hydrogenation of CO2 with green hydrogen allows for the synthesis of the pivotal building block methanol. This seemingly simple reaction suffers from thermodynamic and kinetic challenges, leading to by-products. In my talk I will report on the use of IR Modulation Excitation Spectroscopy (MES) to gain unique insights in the molecular pathways. MES is a dynamic technique where the concentration of one of the reagents is periodically altered. By studying the response of the system to this perturbation we can filter out noise and signals stemming from spectator species and obtain kinetic insights in the activation and transformation of reagents at the gas-solid interface. I will show how the reaction pathway in CO2 hydrogenation (CO versus formate) is highly dependent on the catalyst composition and pressure for a multi component catalyst system. These insights, in combination with extensive ex situ and in situ characterization, directs both catalyst synthesis and reaction engineering.