Study of controlled nanoconfinement of active sites for catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 to CO, methanol and hydrocarbons

CO2 and H2 are key alternative chemical feedstocks for sustainable chemical production. The use of these resources, however, demands the development of innovative catalysts that will enable their efficient and selective conversion to hydrocarbons and oxygenates. This project will study the effect of nanoscale confinement of metal cluster catalysts (Ni, Co and Cu) on the reduction of CO2 by hydrogen to CO, hydrocarbons and methanol. Transition metal nanoclusters will be prepared in a spatially controlled reaction space in structurally stable carbon materials with a defined size of 3D organized and accessible nanopores ranging from subnanometer to units of nanometers. The relationship between structure, degree of confinement, and reaction rate and selectivity to CO, CH4, CxHy, and CH3OH will be analysed. The insights and interpretation of the confinement effects in nanostructured metal-supported catalysts will contribute to the development of clear structure–activity relationships for rational catalyst design for efficient reactions of CO2 and hydrogen to demanded products.