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Design of low-cost and carbon-resistant Ni-based mesoporous silicas for chemical CO2 utilization through tri-reforming of methane

Project description

High-efficiency catalysts for methane tri-reforming

The process of carbon capture and utilisation has been gaining attention as a potential strategy to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from major industrial emitters. Methane tri-reforming is viewed as a part of these technologies. Not only does the process produce synthesis gas with the desired ratios of hydrogen–carbon monoxide, but it also eliminates carbon formation – a serious concern in methane reforming. Furthermore, the process allows direct CO2 conversion from flue gases when applied in natural gas-fired power plants. Lack of efficient catalysts has prevented methane tri-reforming from making a bigger impact. The EU-funded MesoSi-CO2 project plans to design efficient nickel-based catalysts supported by mesoporous silica. For their synthesis, the project will take advantage of renewable bio-sources, zero-cost industrial waste and microwave technology.

Objective

Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in our atmosphere are becoming evident and are having a tremendous effect on the global temperature rise. Growing awareness of greenhouse gas emissions has led to the implementation of chemical CO2 utilization technologies. Tri-reforming of methane (TRM) can not only produce synthesis gas (CO + H2) with desired H2/CO ratios (1.5–2.0) but can also eliminate carbon formation which is a serious problem in reforming of methane. Moreover, TRM allows converting CO2 directly from flue gases when applied in natural gas-fired power plants. However, a lack of catalysts able to operate efficiently with sufficient long-term stability hinders the development of the process. In this project, the proposed solution is to design a Ni-based mesoporous silica resistant to sintering and carbon formation and able to perform superior catalytic conversion of CO2. The synthesis of catalysts takes advantage of renewable bio-sources, zero-cost industrial waste and assistance of microwaves. The latter is applied to reduce power usage. The catalytic measurements will be performed with gas composition typical of flue gases from a natural-gas-fired power plant. The materials will be characterized by methods dedicated to examine physico-chemical features, such as XRD, N2 sorption, TPR, H2 chemisorption, TGA/DSC-MS, and XPS. The catalysts with optimal properties will be studied by steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis (SSITKA). Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) will be carried out to support the experiments. The understanding of possible deactivation mechanisms (carbon formation, sintering, selectivity towards side reactions) will be studied during the Secondment stay (Sorbonne Université, France). Operando XAS-XRD measurements will be performed to reveal the nature of active sites on the tri-reforming catalysts.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

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Coordinator

NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 202 158,72
Address
HOGSKOLERINGEN 1
7491 TRONDHEIM
Norway

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Region
Norge Trøndelag Trøndelag
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 202 158,72
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