(144a) Efficient and Cost-Effective Catalytic Materials for Upgrading of Carbon Dioxide

Rising atmospheric concentration of CO₂ is forecasted to have potentially disastrous effects on the environment from its role in climate change and ocean acidification. Converting CO₂ into value-added chemicals and fuels is one of the most practical routes for reducing CO₂ emissions while fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy sector. One of the challenges is the development of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for the thermochemical and electrochemical conversion of CO₂. In this talk we will discuss the design and evaluation of catalytic materials for CO₂ upgrading using a combination of kinetic studies, in situ characterization and density functional theory calculations. We will present several examples of (1) CO₂ conversion by thermocatalysis, (2) CO₂ reduction by electrocatalysis, and (3) CO₂ upgrading using tandem electrocatalysis-thermocatalysis. We will use these examples to highlight the importance of using fundamental chemical engineering principles to guide the selection of effective catalysts.