Project description
Developing sustainable liquid fuels from CO2 reduction
Liquid fuels produced from renewable-electricity-driven CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) have a carbon-neutral energy cycle and enable the storage of renewable yet intermittent energy. For this reason, they show promise as sustainable fuel sources. One of the most desired CO2RR products is propanol. However, today’s catalysts don’t exhibit more than 15 % selectivity for propanol, which prevents the practical adoption of CO2-to-propanol electrolysis. To address this challenge, the EU-funded CO2RR project aims to predict and discover ideal catalyst–system combinations. To do this, it will gain in-depth knowledge on the catalyst descriptors that drive propanol formation. The project will result in an efficient CO2-to-propanol electrolysis system and a deep understanding of the CO2RR mechanism.
Objective
Fossil fuels have been crucial for the prosperity of human society since the industrial revolution, but have also brought about many critical issues, such as global warming. To meet the ambitious goals set out in the Paris Agreement, it is imperative to explore sustainable fuel sources. Liquid fuels produced from renewable-electricity-driven CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) are promising candidates because they simultaneously allow for a carbon-neutral energy cycle and the storage of renewable yet intermittent energy. Due to its high energy density and suitable octane number, propanol is one of the most desired products from CO2RR as direct fuels and fuel additives. However, current state-of-the-art catalysts do not exhibit more than 15% selectivity for propanol, which is a huge impediment towards the practical adoption of CO2-to-propanol electrolysis. Raising the selectivity requires intricate knowledge of what catalyst descriptors drive propanol formation, in order to predict and discover ideal catalyst/system combinations, which are the objectives of this proposal. To achieve these goals, the optimum electrode-electrolyte interface will be identified based on well-defined single-crystal-electrode experiments; reaction intermediates and pathways will be identified and studied by in situ spectroscopy methods and DFT calculations; theory-guided-designed nanocatalysts will be synthesized and subsequently integrated into an optimized CO2RR electrolyser to produce propanol at industrially relevant current densities. Through successful completion of the proposed research, an efficient CO2-to-propanol electrolysis system will be developed together with an in-depth understanding of CO2RR mechanism.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels liquid fuels
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- social sciences political sciences political transitions revolutions
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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.
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.
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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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.
2311 EZ Leiden
Netherlands
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.