In brief
CO₂MET paves the way for green methanol by efficiently producing this basic chemical from CO₂ and hydrogen. The project utilises an innovative ruthenium-based catalyst that operates at low process temperatures. This makes methanol synthesis more sustainable, more resource-efficient and particularly attractive for the chemical industry and the alternative fuels sector.
What we’re working on
Motivation
Methanol is a key platform chemical and an important future energy carrier. The ability to synthesise methanol from the greenhouse gas CO₂ makes it a central component in the quest for carbon neutrality and in the fight against climate change. However, the synthesis of methanol from CO₂ and green hydrogen is limited by conventional catalysts due to the reaction temperatures required.
Innovative approach
The CO₂MET project aims to develop a new class of immobilised homogeneous catalysts that have the potential to optimise the synthesis of methanol from CO₂ and H₂ through catalysis at lower temperatures. Due to the thermodynamics of the reaction, higher conversion rates can be achieved at lower process temperatures. To enable its use as a solid catalyst, the catalyst is to be dissolved in ionic liquids and immobilised on porous support structures. Optimising the support texture allows for efficient and long-term stable process operation in continuous gas-phase plants.
Implementation and added value
In CO₂MET, the conventional catalyst – also used in the ‘grey’ methanol synthesis – is to be replaced by ruthenium complexes that are active at temperatures below 180 °C. Due to the more favourable thermodynamic conditions, a doubling of the conversion rate can be expected. The homogeneous catalyst is to be immobilised in a so-called SILP system (supported ionic liquid phase) and can thus be used as a standard solid catalyst in continuous gas-phase processes. The use of optimised support structures is intended to ensure the long-term stability of the catalyst. The feasibility of the new, disruptive process is to be demonstrated in a mini-plant operating on a continuous basis. The data obtained in this way will be used in a process simulation for scaling and for techno-economic and life-cycle analysis. Tighter environmental and sustainability regulations make the new CO₂MET process particularly interesting in this context, as it sequesters climate-damaging CO₂ in methanol and the energy requirements of the chemical conversion process are potentially reduced through the use of low-temperature catalysts.
CO₂MET in figures
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), through its two chairs of Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRT) and Thermal Process Engineering (TVT), contributes expertise in the production and testing of catalysts, as well as in the detailed structural analysis of these catalysts. SILP technology has been developed primarily at the CRT over the last 20 years and demonstrated in continuous laboratory-scale plants. The TVT is a leader in the field of adsorption and the structural characterisation of nanoporous materials. The phase and wetting behaviour of fluids within pores and at the adsorbent interface is investigated using established and newly developed methods to gain insights into the surface and pore structure of the materials. At the Chair of Power-to-X Technologies (PTX), research is being conducted into methods for producing key basic chemicals from sustainable raw materials such as water and nitrogen from the air, as well as from CO₂ in the atmosphere or from flue gases.
The Chair of Translational Molecular Catalysis at RWTH Aachen University (RWTH) focuses on the development of tailor-made new molecular catalysts and reaction concepts for the conversion of CO₂, biomass and waste materials. In the utilisation of CO₂, the production of methanol, formic acid and the formaldehyde oxidation stage has already been demonstrated. In this project, RWTH is investigating the interactions between the molecular catalyst and the ionic liquid. Furthermore, the solubility and stability of the catalyst in the presence of the porous support material are being optimised.
JMU is a research-intensive university with a strong focus on the natural sciences, including the development of new materials. In this project, JMU is developing porous silica particles as a support material for the ionic liquids. Spray-dried, pelletisable particles are to be used to produce large-pore support materials.
IoLiTec Ionic Liquids Technologies GmbH (IOL), founded in 2003, is a speciality chemicals company. IOL is involved in the manufacture, distribution and consultancy services relating to high-performance chemicals and fine chemical products. In addition to nanomaterial synthesis, contract manufacturing and filling, and fluorine-based specialities, the company’s focus is on the development of ionic liquids and technologies based on them. The IOL product range currently comprises around 350 ionic liquids and 2,000 custom-synthesised compounds. New ionic liquids are also to be designed, synthesised and tested for this project.
Evonik OXENO GmbH & Co. KG (OXENO) possesses core expertise in the industrial hydroformylation of olefins for the production of oxo products such as alcohols, which, in the form of their esters, are used on a large scale as plasticisers in organic polymers, amongst other applications. This know-how is protected worldwide by a large number of patents. OXENO’s role in the project is to develop a comprehensive process model and to carry out the resulting techno-economic assessment using life-cycle analysis.
