eStructMR - Engineering Electrochemical Structured Membrane Reactor for Efficient Co-valorisation of Methane and Carbon Dioxide
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Chemical Engineering
Abstract
Global climate change and Net-Zero mission are accelerating the emphasis from policy makers, academia, and industry on addressing
energy and environmental issues where methane and CO2 emissions in small, distributed sources are some main causes. So, methane
and CO2 capture and co-valorisation are of paramount importance. The state-of-the-art research for methane and CO2 co-valorisation
mainly includes (super-)dry reforming of methane, plasma catalysis, electrocatalysis and so on, and most of current research suffers
from multi-step process, e.g., via syngas, to value-added chemicals and fuels or focuses on the catalyst development. However, little
attention is paid in developing advanced catalytic reactors for radically technological breakthrough, which this project aims to
address. In the context of process electrification in chemical industry, this eStructMR project proposes to develop the new generation
of advanced membrane reactor driven by renewable electricity to achieve simultaneous valorisation of methane and CO2 to valueadded
chemicals and fuels in single-step process. Specifically, eStructMR aims to (1) develop the Electrochemical Structured
Membrane Reactor and obtain fundamental understanding on its rational design; (2) achieve high-efficient co-valorisation of
methane and CO2 by tuning catalytic reaction microenvironment through proper microscale design of proposed reactor. The success
of eStructMR project will yield a new perspective to both reactor design and catalytic process regulation not only for the covalorisation
of methane and CO2 but also for many other catalytic reactions.
energy and environmental issues where methane and CO2 emissions in small, distributed sources are some main causes. So, methane
and CO2 capture and co-valorisation are of paramount importance. The state-of-the-art research for methane and CO2 co-valorisation
mainly includes (super-)dry reforming of methane, plasma catalysis, electrocatalysis and so on, and most of current research suffers
from multi-step process, e.g., via syngas, to value-added chemicals and fuels or focuses on the catalyst development. However, little
attention is paid in developing advanced catalytic reactors for radically technological breakthrough, which this project aims to
address. In the context of process electrification in chemical industry, this eStructMR project proposes to develop the new generation
of advanced membrane reactor driven by renewable electricity to achieve simultaneous valorisation of methane and CO2 to valueadded
chemicals and fuels in single-step process. Specifically, eStructMR aims to (1) develop the Electrochemical Structured
Membrane Reactor and obtain fundamental understanding on its rational design; (2) achieve high-efficient co-valorisation of
methane and CO2 by tuning catalytic reaction microenvironment through proper microscale design of proposed reactor. The success
of eStructMR project will yield a new perspective to both reactor design and catalytic process regulation not only for the covalorisation
of methane and CO2 but also for many other catalytic reactions.