Photoelectrochemical system design for CO2 and CH4 conversion to valuable products

• Grant number: 19/21496-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2020
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Cauê Ribeiro de Oliveira
• Grantee: Jéssica Ariane de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/01258-5 - Novel chemical catalytic and photocatalytic processes for the direct conversion of methane and CO2 to products, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/05149-1 - Tuning the CH4 reforming toward to green hydrogen driven by piezo-enhanced photoelectrochemical reaction, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Agribusiness is one of the main financial activities in Brazil, especially the sugar and alcohol sector. Despite the economic relevance of this industrial complex, there is an environmental concern associated to the release of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomethane (CH4) per year. As these gases are the main causes of the greenhouse effect, it is necessary to develop technologies and processes to minimize its emission. Photocatalytic processes may be an alternative since they can convert CO2 and CH4 into important organic molecules. The photocatalysis efficiency can be further improved by photoelectrocatalytic processes, which separate more efficiently the photogenerated charges. Although there are several studies related to photoelectrocatalysts synthesis, there are few efforts to apply these materials in photoelectrocatalytic reactors with high performance industrial design. In this context, this postdoctoral project has as main objective the development of a photoelectrocatalytic reactor for simultaneous CO2 and CH4 conversion to valuable compounds. It will be used a photoanode/photocathode system (TiO2/Cu2O) and the new reactor will be studied considering micro fluid dynamics elements and process intensification. The reactor will be operatedin potentiostatic mode and it will be analyzed different process parameters, such as flow, applied potential, and the effects of turbulence promoters, giving special attention to the mass transfer phenomena. Thus, it is expected to be established the best process parameters that provide high selectivity for more valuable products, faster photoelectrocatalysis kinetics and lower energy consumption. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PRADO, A. C. F.; MALAFATTI, J. O. D.; OLIVEIRA, J. A.; RIBEIRO, C.; JOYA, M. R.; LUZ, A. P.; PARIS, E. C.. Preparation and Application of Nb2O5 Nanofibers in CO2 Photoconversion. NANOMATERIALS, v. 11, n. 12, DEC 2021. (18/01258-5, 19/21496-0)