Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Conversion

碳捕获和利用(CCU)是一个重要的研究领域，有助于减少温室气体(GHG)排放。金属精炼通常依赖于煤(或其他碳材料)将金属氧化物矿石还原为纯金属。这个过程会产生大量的二氧化碳--一种温室气体。拟议的研究旨在通过电催化将二氧化碳和一氧化碳还原为石墨或其他增值有机原料/燃料(如乙醇)来关闭该系统中的循环。电催化使用清洁能源(如水力发电、太阳能或风能)和一种能量降低物质--催化剂--不仅使这一循环闭合，使其固有的环境和经济可持续发展，而且还使该过程为负碳。这种方法不仅有可能减少或消除工业合作伙伴力拓Fer and Tiane(RTFT)的温室气体排放，而且可以通过生产高质量的石墨并通过将新知识转化为其他碳足迹显著的部门和工艺来产生新的收入来源。这项工作的主要目标是评估几种电催化材料(例如，离子液体中的金属纳米颗粒，导电基质中的金属纳米颗粒)在一系列条件下将二氧化碳还原为石墨/有机燃料。我们将使用特殊方法来分析这一过程中的路径，并确定应该适用于工业环境中放大的最佳系统。本提案中概述的培训环境同样侧重于CCU的学术和工业方面。在本研究期间培训的HQP将获得加拿大自然资源研发部门高度重视的技能，包括可持续资源开发、减少废物和绿色技术。拟议的研究将产生新的知识，有可能加强加拿大在CCU的努力，并使加拿大和RTFT成为这一领域的全球领导者。

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is an important research field, which will help reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Metal refining often relies on coal (or other carbon materials) to reduce metal oxide ores to the pure metal. This process generates significant quantities of carbon dioxide - a GHG. The research proposed intends to close the loop in this system by electrocatalytically reducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into graphite or other value-added organic feedstocks/fuels (e.g., ethanol). Electrocatalysis employing clean energy sources (such as hydro, solar or wind) in combination with an energy reducing substance - a catalyst - not only closes this loop making it inherently environmentally and economically sustainable, it makes the process carbon negative. This approach not only has the potential to reduce or eliminate GHG emissions for the industrial partner, Rio Tinto Fer and Titane (RTFT), but may produce a new revenue stream with the high-quality graphite being produced and via translation of the new knowledge to other sectors and processes with significant carbon footprints. The primary objectives of this work are to evaluate several electrocatalytic materials (e.g., metal nanoparticles in ionic liquids, metal nanoparticles in a conductive matrix) for reduction of carbon dioxide to graphite/organic fuels under a range of conditions. We will use special methods to analyze pathways in this process and identify optimum systems that should be applicable for scale-up in an industrial setting. The training environment outlined in this proposal focuses equally on the academic and industrial aspects of CCU. The HQP trained during this research will acquire skills identified as a high priority for the Canadian natural resource R&D sector, including sustainable resource development, waste reduction and green technologies. The proposed research will generate new knowledge with the potential to strengthen Canada's efforts in CCU and enable Canada and RTFT to become global leaders in this area.