Photocatalysis

Photocatalysis is a natural phenomenon whereby a substance, called a photocatalyst, alters the speed of a chemical reaction through the action of light. By exploiting the energy of light, photocatalysts induce the formation of highly oxidizing reagents that can decompose some organic and inorganic substances present in the air. Photocatalysis is therefore an accelerator for oxidation processes that already exist in nature. Indeed, it promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating on surfaces. The worsening of the level of pollution in urban areas has recently driven research towards the application of the capability of removing harmful substances occurring in the atmosphere. Photocatalysis thus provides an effective contribution to improving air quality. The purpose of this project is to obtain high-yield fuels, e.g. methanol, by catalytic photoreduction of CO2. CO2 reduction with H2 produced by water photoelectrolysis or reduction of CO2 under supercritical conditions is also proposed. The project will also investigate membrane-photocatalysis hybrid systems in which the membrane would play an active role in product separation. Furthermore, possible applications of reactor systems coupled with solar concentrators that, leading to a higher incident photon flux, would have better performance, will also be studied. The scope of the project involves environmental protection (reduction of CO2 emissions by transforming CO2) and energy recovery (production of methanol and methane) by coupling different technologies. The project stems from the idea of a possible application of heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with other technologies - e.g. membrane and photo-electrochemical technologies - to convert large amounts of CO2 into CH3OH and CH4 and for their separation. Photo-electrochemical technology could be used to produce H2 for CO2 reduction. In recent years, heterogeneous photocatalysis has actually begun to establish in synthesis reactions (e.g. alcohols to aldehydes) as well as in the degradation of organic and inorganic species at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces. Large quantities of CO2 are presently released into the air by the cement manufacturing process. The project involves the conversion of CO2 into fuels, mainly methanol and / or methane, which could be used for power generation in the industrial sector. To this end, extraordinary efforts from both a chemical and engineering standpoint are needed. Indeed, the project includes not only the preparation of new formulations of doped photocatalysts, but also the modeling and assembly - on a laboratory scale - of photo-reactors possessing properties that make it easier to convert such a very stable molecule as CO2. Thus, the project addresses sustainable development issues by proposing innovative technologies for the recovery and subsequent conversion of carbon dioxide produced by cement manufacturing plants. The photocatalyst / membrane system integration will reduce CO2 emissions using a renewable energy source for reaction development on the one hand and lead to the formation of high value-added products of industrial interest as methanol and methane on the other. The presence of membranes will be crucial for the recovery of these products and, at the same time, for improving the reactor’s performance and increasing the process yield. The way the project is set up will allow assessing, over a three-year period, whether the CO2 conversion obtained at laboratory scale is such as to allow industrial scale-up in the future.ysPhotocatalysis is a natural phenomenon whereby a substance, called a photocatalyst, alters the speed of a chemical reaction through the action of light. By exploiting the energy of light, photocatalysts induce the formation of highly oxidizing reagents that can decompose some organic and inorganic substances present in the air. Photocatalysis is therefore an accelerator for oxidation processes that already exist in nature. Indeed, it promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating on surfaces. The worsening of the level of pollution in urban areas has recently driven research towards the application of the capability of removing harmful substances occurring in the atmosphere. Photocatalysis thus provides an effective contribution to improving air quality. The purpose of this project is to obtain high-yield fuels, e.g. methanol, by catalytic photoreduction of CO2. CO2 reduction with H2 produced by water photoelectrolysis or reduction of CO2 under supercritical conditions is also proposed. The project will also investigate membrane-photocatalysis hybrid systems in which the membrane would play an active role in product separation. Furthermore, possible applications of reactor systems coupled with solar concentrators that, leading to a higher incident photon flux, would have better performance, will also be studied. The scope of the project involves environmental protection (reduction of CO2 emissions by transforming CO2) and energy recovery (production of methanol and methane) by coupling different technologies. The project stems from the idea of a possible application of heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with other technologies - e.g. membrane and photo-electrochemical technologies - to convert large amounts of CO2 into CH3OH and CH4 and for their separation. Photo-electrochemical technology could be used to produce H2 for CO2 reduction. In recent years, heterogeneous photocatalysis has actually begun to establish in synthesis reactions (e.g. alcohols to aldehydes) as well as in the degradation of organic and inorganic species at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces. Large quantities of CO2 are presently released into the air by the cement manufacturing process. The project involves the conversion of CO2 into fuels, mainly methanol and / or methane, which could be used for power generation in the industrial sector. To this end, extraordinary efforts from both a chemical and engineering standpoint are needed. Indeed, the project includes not only the preparation of new formulations of doped photocatalysts, but also the modeling and assembly - on a laboratory scale - of photo-reactors possessing properties that make it easier to convert such a very stable molecule as CO2. Thus, the project addresses sustainable development issues by proposing innovative technologies for the recovery and subsequent conversion of carbon dioxide produced by cement manufacturing plants. The photocatalyst / membrane system integration will reduce CO2 emissions using a renewable energy source for reaction development on the one hand and lead to the formation of high value-added products of industrial interest as methanol and methane on the other. The presence of membranes will be crucial for the recovery of these products and, at the same time, for improving the reactor’s performance and increasing the process yield. The way the project is set up will allow assessing, over a three-year period, whether the CO2 conversion obtained at laboratory scale is such as to allow industrial scale-up in the future.is is a natural phenomenon whereby a substance, called a photocatalyst, alters the speed of a chemical reaction through the action of light. By exploiting the energy of light, photocatalysts induce the formation of highly oxidizing reagents that can decompose some organic and inorganic substances present in the air. Photocatalysis is therefore an accelerator for oxidation processes that already exist in nature. Indeed, it promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating on surfaces. The worsening of the level of pollution in urban areas has recently driven research towards the application of the capability of removing harmful substances occurring in the atmosphere. Photocatalysis thus provides an effective contribution to improving air quality. The purpose of this project is to obtain high-yield fuels, e.g. methanol, by catalytic photoreduction of CO2. CO2 reduction with H2 produced by water photoelectrolysis or reduction of CO2 under supercritical conditions is also proposed. The project will also investigate membrane-photocatalysis hybrid systems in which the membrane would play an active role in product separation. Furthermore, possible applications of reactor systems coupled with solar concentrators that, leading to a higher incident photon flux, would have better performance, will also be studied. The scope of the project involves environmental protection (reduction of CO2 emissions by transforming CO2) and energy recovery (production of methanol and methane) by coupling different technologies. The project stems from the idea of a possible application of heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with other technologies - e.g. membrane and photo-electrochemical technologies - to convert large amounts of CO2 into CH3OH and CH4 and for their separation. Photo-electrochemical technology could be used to produce H2 for CO2 reduction. In recent years, heterogeneous photocatalysis has actually begun to establish in synthesis reactions (e.g. alcohols to aldehydes) as well as in the degradation of organic and inorganic species at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces. Large quantities of CO2 are presently released into the air by the cement manufacturing process. The project involves the conversion of CO2 into fuels, mainly methanol and / or methane, which could be used for power generation in the industrial sector. To this end, extraordinary efforts from both a chemical and engineering standpoint are needed. Indeed, the project includes not only the preparation of new formulations of doped photocatalysts, but also the modeling and assembly - on a laboratory scale - of photo-reactors possessing properties that make it easier to convert such a very stable molecule as CO2. Thus, the project addresses sustainable development issues by proposing innovative technologies for the recovery and subsequent conversion of carbon dioxide produced by cement manufacturing plants. The photocatalyst / membrane system integration will reduce CO2 emissions using a renewable energy source for reaction development on the one hand and lead to the formation of high value-added products of industrial interest as methanol and methane on the other. The presence of membranes will be crucial for the recovery of these products and, at the same time, for improving the reactor’s performance and increasing the process yield. The way the project is set up will allow assessing, over a three-year period, whether the CO2 conversion obtained at laboratory scale is such as to allow industrial scale-up in the future.ysis is a natural phenomenon whereby a substance, called a photocatalyst, alters the speed of a chemical reaction through the action of light. By exploiting the energy of light, photocatalysts induce the formation of highly oxidizing reagents that can decompose some organic and inorganic substances present in the air. Photocatalysis is therefore an accelerator for oxidation processes that already exist in nature. Indeed, it promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating on surfaces. The worsening of the level of pollution in urban areas has recently driven research towards the application of the capability of removing harmful substances occurring in the atmosphere. Photocatalysis thus provides an effective contribution to improving air quality. The purpose of this project is to obtain high-yield fuels, e.g. methanol, by catalytic photoreduction of CO2. CO2 reduction with H2 produced by water photoelectrolysis or reduction of CO2 under supercritical conditions is also proposed. The project will also investigate membrane-photocatalysis hybrid systems in which the membrane would play an active role in product separation. Furthermore, possible applications of reactor systems coupled with solar concentrators that, leading to a higher incident photon flux, would have better performance, will also be studied. The scope of the project involves environmental protection (reduction of CO2 emissions by transforming CO2) and energy recovery (production of methanol and methane) by coupling different technologies. The project stems from the idea of a possible application of heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with other technologies - e.g. membrane and photo-electrochemical technologies - to convert large amounts of CO2 into CH3OH and CH4 and for their separation. Photo-electrochemical technology could be used to produce H2 for CO2 reduction. In recent years, heterogeneous photocatalysis has actually begun to establish in synthesis reactions (e.g. alcohols to aldehydes) as well as in the degradation of organic and inorganic species at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces. Large quantities of CO2 are presently released into the air by the cement manufacturing process. The project involves the conversion of CO2 into fuels, mainly methanol and / or methane, which could be used for power generation in the industrial sector. To this end, extraordinary efforts from both a chemical and engineering standpoint are needed. Indeed, the project includes not only the preparation of new formulations of doped photocatalysts, but also the modeling and assembly - on a laboratory scale - of photo-reactors possessing properties that make it easier to convert such a very stable molecule as CO2. Thus, the project addresses sustainable development issues by proposing innovative technologies for the recovery and subsequent conversion of carbon dioxide produced by cement manufacturing plants. The photocatalyst / membrane system integration will reduce CO2 emissions using a renewable energy source for reaction development on the one hand and lead to the formation of high value-added products of industrial interest as methanol and methane on the other. The presence of membranes will be crucial for the recovery of these products and, at the same time, for improving the reactor’s performance and increasing the process yield. The way the project is set up will allow assessing, over a three-year period, whether the CO2 conversion obtained at laboratory scale is such as to allow industrial scale-up in the future.