The application of nonthermal plasma in methanol synthesis via CO₂ hydrogenation

Abstract

CH3OH is an energy carrier that can be generated from renewable resources and be used as a fuel in fuel cells and internal combustion engines and a platform chemical for the synthesis of value‐added chemicals or gasoline. Carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation is one of the widely researched methods to generate methanol. The traditional CO2 hydrogenation reaction method (requires high H2 pressure and temperatures) has attracted considerable attention. However, the new emerging field of catalysis referred to as nonthermal plasma (NTP) catalysis has also been developed extensively for methane reforming and CO2 hydrogenation to methane and CO. The plasma‐assisted approach not only presents remarkable advantages, such as room temperature and atmospheric H2 pressure but also has great potential to be powered by renewable electricity in a flexible way since it can be easily switched on/off. In this account, we review the recent articles published on methanol synthesis from CO2 and H2 using NTP. We reviewed and discussed the mechanism of this reaction under NTP, the modification of the reactor configurations, and the rationale behind the catalyst design. In the end, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each of these works and the future perspectives of this interesting privileged reaction. We believe this review is of interest to researchers active in sustainable heterogeneous catalysis.

Electrification of gasification-based biomass-to-X processes – a critical review and in-depth assessment

“…CO 2 hydrogenation towards oxygenates such as MeOH can proceed at mild process conditions and with high selectivity. 285,[301][302][303] Mukhriza and Oktarina suggest that non-thermal plasma allows FT reactions to take place at lower operation temperatures than conventional FT synthesis due to a synergistic effect between plasma and catalyst that enhances the catalytic activity and prolongs catalyst lifetime as well as leading to better heat removal. 304 With rapid reactions promoted by plasma species and reduced volume and maintenance required by the plasmacatalytic technology, plasma-assisted FT synthesis could provide an alternative to the conventional FT process.…”

“…CO 2 hydrogenation towards oxygenates such as MeOH can proceed at mild process conditions and with high selectivity. 285,301–303…”

Reinforced Volumetric Discharge by Tuning Permittivity and Spatial Scale Intensified Pulse Current for Efficient CO2 Reduction

“…Nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology has offered an appealing option for the effective conversion of CO 2 . − By activating CO 2 molecules to create an avalanche of reactive species (e.g., free radicals, ions, molecules, and excited atoms) through ionization, excitation, and dissociation, high-density electrons are produced to initiate and promote chemical reactions , Meanwhile, NTP enables CO 2 reduction in mild experimental conditions, which shows a decrease in energy consumption. , Therefore, the development of NTP for CO 2 conversion is an important current research direction.…”

Direct hydrogenation of CO2 to ethanol at ambient conditions using Cu(i)-MOF in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor

“…Non-thermal plasma (NTP) catalysis has shown great promise for achieving CO 2 hydrogenation at ambient temperatures and pressure. 23 It is an effective tool for activating stable CO 2 and H 2 , and features a pronounced non-equilibrium process, allowing for the activation of feed gases and subsequent reactions to take place at low temperatures. 24 The NTP catalytic system promises to solve the two aforementioned dilemmas that occur in conventional catalysis: (a) the thermodynamic conflicts and (b) the application limitations of Cu( i )-MOF in thermal catalysis.…”