Innovative Catalyst Design for Direct Hydrogenation of CO2 to Methanol

In this proposed SBIR Phase I effort, Nexceris, LLC are collaborating with the University of Cincinnati to design innovative catalysts for the direct CO2 hydrogenation to methanol as a way to efficiently utilize captured CO2. This Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels approach will utilize the excess and idle capacity of renewable (solar and wind) electricity to power a solid fuels electrolysis cell (SOEC) which will provide renewable hydrogen for the PtL. This is because methanol synthesis is an attractive approach for storing hydrogen for future uses, direct fuel, or a feedstock for chemical synthesis. Commercially, methanol is produced from natural gas via the CO hydrogenation (syngas) – a product of steam methane reforming – route, utilizing CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts. In this process, CO2 is added in amounts up-to 30% of the total carbon in syngas, which significantly improves the methanol yield by improving the energetics of the reaction. Therefore, in order to facilitate methanol synthesis, some CO in syngas is first converted to CO2 through a water gas shift (WGS) reaction. The direct hydrogenation of CO2 for methanol synthesis therefore represents an attractive option for the utilization of stranded renewable energy sources with the key benefit being that the reaction is already energetically favorable compared to the traditional methanol synthesis through syngas and it a direct way of utilizing otherwise anthropogenic CO2. Nexceris and the University of Cincinnati propose to: (i) couple catalysts with proven remarkable activity in the conversion of coal-derived syngas to low molecular weight oxygenates developed at the University of Cincinnati, and (ii) design a new set of mixed metal oxide catalysts from promising candidates with Nexceris’ own patent-pending set of high thermal conductivity catalyst support materials. Integrating these highly active catalysts with high thermal conductivity support materials will enable improved management of the system’s thermal energy. In this Phase I effort, Nexceris proposes to pursue a feasibility study involving exploring the viability of the SOEC to methanol synthesis approach, develop catalysts for direct CO2 hydrogenation, supporting developed catalysts on Nexceris’ high thermal conductivity supports, and studying their catalytic activities. These activities are geared at creating a better understanding of the proposed system and as a route for the scale up in a potential Phase II effort.