The preparatory actions included the mapping of the sources of biogenic CO2 and the scenarios required for CO2 utilization according to the stakeholders’ needs.
Technical actions for the production of the seven intermediates started at lab-scale with the kick-off of the Project, and leaped to pilot scale during the last 18 months of Project.
The work performed and main achieved results in each technology were:
Liquid and gas fermentations were scaled up to 150 litres. CO2-to-acetate and acetate-to-mcl-PHA/PHB fermentations fulfilled the expected KPIs; relevant results were also achieved for their downstream processing (DSP).
The performance of the High Temperature-Proton Exchange Membrane (HT-PEM) and reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) catalyst improved the state of the art but the coupling of the three items of the envisaged eCMR for the production of syngas from CO2 and water was burdened by the incompatibilities of working temperatures
The integration of a Solid electrolyte O2 separator with a reaction chamber for a syngas-to-aromatics (StA) reaction was neither successful but the performance of the developed StA catalyst was excellent.
Within the electrocatalytic approach, the targeted selectivity was achieved for both glycol-to-glycolic acid anodic reaction and CO2-to-CO cathodic reaction and the longevity for both reactions was excellent.
The production of carbonates also achieved the pursued targets thanks to the development of recyclable catalysts able to reach 99 % conversion and 91 % selectivity in the carbonation of the epoxidized oils.
Further insights about CO2SMOS technical results can be consulted in its Results Booklet:
https://co2smos.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CO2SMOS-Research-Results-Booklet-1.pdf(odnośnik otworzy się w nowym oknie) The validation of the use of these intermediates in the formulation of CO2SMOS end-products followed a similar schedule and concluded with the validation of the use of four intermediates in the formulation of polyesters and biomaterials whose properties were proved to be suitable for their intended applications.
The exploitation activities provided a comprehensive overview of the project's progress in raising awareness and understanding of CO2 valorisation among stakeholders. By identifying Key Exploitable Results and establishing coherent guidelines for exploitation strategies, the project laid the groundwork for future commercialization and market diffusion of the developed technologies.
The dissemination of the results according to the internal D&C Plan resulted in a remarkable visibility of CO2SMOS. The external stakeholders could follow the achieved outcomes through the Project’s website and social networks. The eight scientific papers published by the end of the Project (a number that may rocket up to 15 after its conclusion) indicate the relevance and high-quality of the deployed technical work.
