Grant: Alliance Grants

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that we release 50 billion tonnes (50 x 10^9 t) of greenhouse gases (GHGs) globally into the atmosphere annually. Of this number, 37 billion tonnes is CO2, and the rest is primarily methane. Two immediate solutions to this problem include 1) reducing our annual GHG production, and 2) limiting what is released into the atmosphere by using materials and methods to capture CO2 and other gases. Since efforts to reduce our production of GHGs have not been sufficient, all G7 governments are investing heavily in research and development on CO2 mitigation technologies. These technologies include storage methods in which the CO2 is either mineralized in the form of carbonates, or buried underground by injection, or stored in porous materials. Although these latter approaches reduce the presence of CO2 in the atmosphere, they do not help close its life cycle. In a circular economy and sustainable development approach, the captured CO2 could be valorized by transforming it into value-added chemicals, such as methane. Recycling stored CO2 with H2 generated by renewable electricity would not only reduce its impact on global warming but also close the life cycle of materials, a key factor in the circular economy.In recent years, a few studies have focused on the combination of CO2 capture and CO2 methanation in a single reactor using dual-functional materials (DFM) based on alkali metal oxides doped with Ni and Ru. In the present project, we will instead formulate a material consisting of two components: 1) a metal-organic framework (MOF) capable of adsorbing CO2 with high efficiency and capacity and 2) a MOF doped with Ru or Ni to convert the captured CO2 to methane. Our team aims to develop innovative materials, in combination with new types of reactors and processes, for the capture and methanation of CO2. The long-term objective is to develop an alternative, efficient, and profitable way to store but also to recover and use CO2, which will have a significant positive economic and social impact for Québec and Canada.