Designing catalytic systems with MOFs for exploring CO2 to methanol conversion

• Grant number: 23/05986-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 08, 2023
• End date: August 07, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: José Maria Correa Bueno
• Grantee: Ayla Roberta Borges da Silva Galaço
• Supervisor: Christian Serre
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institut des Matériaux Poreux de Paris (IMAP), France
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/14904-5 - CO2 hydrogenation over nanoparticles obtained from post modification MOF's decomposition, BP.PD

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely applied as template to obtain structured metallic oxides materials. Several structural characteristics of MOFs, including metal nodes in the material when coordination vacancies are present, the linker as an organo-catalytic site, the optoelectronic properties of the hybrid material, and post-synthetic modification, will be crucial for the obtention of high-performance oxide under MOF calcination. Besides having superior catalytic properties over oxides derived from another (more conventional) synthetic methods, these materials can be obtained with a larger variety of shapes, size and active sites. In order to obtain highly active and selective catalysts, deep synthetic knowledge is required and only few groups in the world provide the scientific background to this objective. Inspired by the results achieved currently for ZrO2/Cu catalysts obtained via the pyrolysis of MOF-808 using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as modulator for application in CO2 hydrogenation to methanol (see partial FAPESP report), we propose modifications in the design of MOFs and post-modifications to achieve better performance at lower temperatures. Also, considering our intrinsic difficulties to increase the production of MOFs while preserving their initially desired characteristics, we propose the development of large scale synthesis for the best performing material. This BEPE project will be crucial in advancing the development of CO2 conversion catalysts with a group recognized globally in the field of MOFs, from the design and the synthesis to the advanced study of their applications in different fields as well as for their synthesis optimization and up-scaling using environmentally friendly conditions. (AU)