(514f) Combined Capture and Utilization of CO2 in Ethylene Production over Dual-Function Materials

Finding cost-effective approaches to capture and utilize the emitted CO₂ could open new avenues to the sustainable creation of energy with less environmental footprint. Combined capture -utilization approach offers a promising route to use waste CO₂ as a feedstock for producing valuable commodity chemicals and fuels. In this investigation, we report in-situ capture and utilization of CO₂ in ethylene production through oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane over dual function materials (DFMs). The DFMs considered for this application consisted of double salts (K-Ca and Na-Ca) as adsorbent, Cr nanoparticles as catalyst, and γ-Al₂O₃ as support. The structural and physiochemical characteristics of the materials were assessed by N₂ physisorption, XRD, XPS, TPD, and H₂-TPR. The adsorption step was conducted at 650 ºC using a feed gas mixture of 10%CO₂/Ar followed by the reaction step at the same temperature using ethane/Ar at WHSV of 5000 mL/g.hr. The effects of CO₂/C₂H₆ mole ratio and bed temperature on catalytic activity of the DFMs were systematically investigated to determine the optimum process conditions. In addition, the properties and compositions of the DFMs were correlated with their adsorption and catalytic performance to determine the best DFM that yields the highest CO₂ removal efficiency, ethane conversion and ethylene selectivity.