Catalytic studies for the production of light olefins from CO2

• Grant number: 24/08859-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Rita Maria de Brito Alves
• Grantee: Lucas Alves da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP)
• Associated research grant: 20/15230-5 - Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation - RCG2I, AP.PCPE

Abstract

In recent years, the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has been a topic of global concern in the face of climate change. Brazil is among the top ten CO2 emitters, making it essential to search for technologies to mitigate these emissions. Among the strategies studied, the catalytic conversion of CO2 into light olefins stands out as a promising route for adding value to the CO2 molecule. Unsaturated light hydrocarbons (olefins) play a significant role in the raw materials market of the petrochemical industry, where they are used as building blocks for the production of plastics, polymers, and solvents. Thus, the conversion of CO2 into unsaturated hydrocarbons (CO2-to-olefins) emerges as a sustainable alternative for the production of light olefins from a non-fossil carbon source. This conversion can occur via two routes: one mediated by methanol (CO2-MTO) and another by carbon monoxide (CO2-FTO), through reverse water gas shift (RWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) reactions. The study of CO2-to-olefins in the literature is recent, and most works aim at investigating and developing catalysts to make this process possible. Currently, Fe catalysts supported on materials such as metal oxides, structured carbon, and zeolites have been studied and show promising results for the conversion of CO2 into light olefins. However, the literature still offers opportunities for the development of new materials and for the study of chemical reaction engineering within this route, as current results still present challenges to be overcome. Given this context, the present doctoral project aims to develop and characterize new catalysts for the CO2-FTO process, as this is a promising route for the selectivity of light olefins, as well as to carry out a study of reaction conditions, mechanism, and kinetics of the involved reactions.