Synthesis, characterization and screening of nano-supported catalysts for CO & CO2 reduction

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Several industrial processes emit carbon dioxide (CO2) during conversion of their raw materials. Capture and storage of CO2 is among the latest strategies to reduce atmospheric CO2. Currently, there are several ongoing research efforts with the hope of gaining expected results in this sector in near future. Nevertheless, the idea of retaining huge volumes of CO2 is not very appealing unless CO2 is transformed into some non-available forms. In this proposed project, University of Alberta and SBI bioenergy will work together to develop and screen nano-supported catalysts for low temperature reduction of CO and CO2 to methanol. Different nano-supported catalysts will be synthesized, fully characterized and tested for the reduction of CO & CO2. Different catalysts will be synthesized at SBI facility. The catalysts will be immobilized on nanocarriers at University of Alberta and structures of the synthesized/nano-immobilized catalysts, their surface properties such as pore size, pore volume, crystalline/amorphous content and bonding nature will be extensively investigated using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), gas sorption Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) techniques at the university of Alberta. The effects of loading content, pressures and the reaction temperatures on CO & CO2 reduction will be investigated at SBI facility.