Kinetic Evaluation of Supported Metal Catalysts for Olefin Production from CO2 Hydrogenation Reactions via the Methanol Route

• Grant number: 25/09667-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: November 03, 2025
• End date: November 02, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Elisabete Moreira Assaf
• Grantee: Gabriela Santanna Zanelli
• Supervisor: Joris Thybaut
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Ghent University (UGent), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/00032-4 - Study of supported metal catalysts for production of olefins from CO2 hydrogenation reactions via methanolic route, BP.DR

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas whose production has intensified in recent decades, leading to its accumulation in the Earth's atmosphere. Consequently, numerous negative environmental changes, such as global warming, have been occurring worldwide. Aware of this issue, it is necessary to find strategies to control and reduce the emissions of this gas. In this regard, catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 is a carbon recycling technology that has been extensively explored in recent years. An attractive route for utilizing CO2 is in the production of olefins, organic compounds of significant importance in various industrial sectors. Despite the numerous studies published to date, the hydrogenation of CO2 to olefins via the methanol route still presents several limiting factors that hinder its industrial application, such as low selectivity, catalyst deactivation, and the need to adjust reaction temperatures. This project aims to develop an elementary kinetic understanding of CO2 hydrogenation reactions to olefins via the methanol route, capable of providing detailed knowledge of the overall performance and the detailed reaction mechanism, which is essential for advancing the process.