Indium-Based Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Cu—ZnO—Al2O3 catalysts suffer from severe deactivation and low selectivity when directly hydrogenating CO2 to methanol, limiting their effectiveness in producing this valuable chemical.
Innovation Solution
Development of pre-catalysts and catalysts comprising indium oxide, indium hydroxide, and indium oxyhydroxide mixed with active and refractory oxides, which are activated through reductive treatments to enhance CO2 hydrogenation efficiency and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst is applied to directly hydrogenate CO2, then methanol production is achieved, but severe deactivation and low selectivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the catalyst by replacing Cu with In and modifying the support structure from conventional Al2O3 to mixed metal oxides (ZrO2, CeO2, TiO2). This compositional parameter change transforms the catalyst's interaction with CO2, preventing deactivation while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite catalyst materials by combining indium oxide with various metal oxides (ZnO, ZrO2, CeO2, TiO2) to form a composite structure. This composite approach leverages the synergistic effects of different materials to achieve both high productivity and reliability in CO2 hydrogenation.
2Productivity
If conventional Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst is applied to directly hydrogenate CO2, then methanol production is achieved, but low selectivity to methanol occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific active sites on the catalyst surface through the indium oxide component and optimizing the distribution of metal oxides. This local structural optimization enhances the catalyst's ability to selectively produce methanol while maintaining overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the catalyst composition from Cu-based to In-based and adjusting the metal oxide ratios, the patent modifies the reaction pathway parameters to favor methanol formation, thereby improving selectivity while preserving productivity.
3Reliability
If indium-based pre-catalyst is used for CO2 hydrogenation, then high selectivity and productivity are achieved, but reductive treatment is required for activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the reduction step as a preliminary activation process before the main catalytic reaction. The pre-catalyst is deliberately prepared in an oxidized state and then activated through reductive treatment, which is a standard and manageable process that enables the high-performance catalytic activity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The indium-based catalysts demonstrate improved selectivity and productivity for methanol production, maintaining high activity for at least 50 hours without deactivation, outperforming traditional catalysts in terms of indium loading, yield, and stability.
Implementation Method 1
The pre-catalyst may be activated by a reductive treatment. The reductive treatment may proceed during reaction and/or prior to reaction via a reductive pre-treatment.
Implementation Method 2
carbon dioxide hydrogenation into a valuable feedstock... producing fine chemicals from an abundantly available C1 building block. Methanol is a chemical that is currently of high importance and demand.
Implementation Method 3
The indium-based catalysts demonstrate improved selectivity and productivity for methanol production, maintaining high activity for at least 50 hours without deactivation
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe pre-catalysts comprising including one or more of indium oxide, indium hydroxide, indium oxyhydroxide, an active oxide, and a refractory oxide. Embodiments of the present disclosure also describe method of making pre-catalysts based on one or more of impregnation, precipitation or co-precipitation, ball milling, and metal-organic framework (MOF)-mediated synthesis. Embodiments of the present disclosure further describe methods of activating pre-catalysts and synthesizing one or more of methanol and olefins using catalysts obtained from the pre-catalysts.