Study on catalytic performance and kinetics of high efficiency CeO2 catalyst prepared by freeze drying for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from CO2 and methanol

Ordered versus Non-Ordered Mesoporous CeO2-Based Systems for the Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2

In this work, non-ordered and ordered CeO2-based catalysts are proposed for CO2 conversion to dimethyl carbonate (DMC). Particularly, non-ordered mesoporous CeO2, consisting of small nanoparticles of about 8 nm, is compared with two highly porous (635-722 m2/g) ordered CeO2@SBA-15 nanocomposites obtained by two different impregnation strategies (a two-solvent impregnation method (TS) and a self-combustion (SC) method), with a final CeO2 loading of 10 wt%. Rietveld analyses on XRD data combined with TEM imaging evidence the influence of the impregnation strategy on the dispersion of the active phase as follows: nanoparticles of 8 nm for the TS composite vs. 3 nm for the SC composite. The catalytic results show comparable activities for the mesoporous ceria and the CeO2@SBA-15_SC nanocomposite, while a lower DMC yield is found for the CeO2@SBA-15_TS nanocomposite. This finding can presumably be ascribed to a partial obstruction of the pores by the CeO2 nanoparticles in the case of the TS composite, leading to a reduced accessibility of the active phase. On the other hand, in the case of the SC composite, where the CeO2 particle size is much lower than the pore size, there is an improved accessibility of the active phase to the molecules of the reactants.

Theoretical investigations of structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of group V (X = V, Nb, Ta) added CeO2-X materials for optoelectronic applications

CONTEXT

Depletion of natural resources, responsible for energy production, is a serious concern for researchers to develop alternate energy resources or materials. Scientists have proposed various energy materials which are based on semiconductors and their underlying physics. Cerium oxide (CeO2) is a versatile energy material which receives much attention owing to excellent photocatalytic, photonic, thermal stability, and optoelectronic applications. Even though CeO2 exhibited remarkable physical properties, but yet, they can be enhanced upon suitable doping. Focus on current research is to dope group V elements into CeO2 in order to enhance its electronic and optical response. The density of states (DOS) and band gaps of proposed materials are calculated, and significant improvement is noted after applying TB-mbj method. Optical absorption spectra of V/Nb/Ta-doped CeO2 show blueshift and decrease in reflectivity along with the presence of magnetism illustrate potential uses of these materials in future UV optoelectronics, spintronics, sensing, and energy harvesting devices.

METHODS

This research is based on computational work carried using Wien2k code where PBE-GGA approximation is used to approximate exchange and correlation potentials. Supercells of vanadium/niobium/tantalum-doped CeO2 are constructed, and spin-polarized density of states (DOS) along with optical constant are calculated. TB-mbj method is used to bring improvements in DOS and band gaps of proposed materials. Iterations are conducted using convergence criterion, and non-relativistic calculations are performed.

Uncovering the role of yttrium in a cerium-based binary oxide in the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide and methanol to dimethyl carbonate

Cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2)-based materials are effective catalysts for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from carbon dioxide (CO2) and methanol (CH3OH). Herein, 5% Y-CeO2 was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. It forms a solid solution structure, which leads to the highest concentration of oxygen vacancies. The Y-VO-Ce active site created by Y3+ doping enhances the adsorption and activation of CO2 based on moderately passivating CH3OH adsorption. Consequently, 5% Y-CeO2 exhibited the highest CH3OH conversion rate of 0.8% and a DMC yield of 15 mmol⋅(g cat)-1, which is 1.4 times of pure CeO2 (reacting in a stainless-steel autoclave at 140 °C with a stirring speed of 1000 r⋅min-1 and an initial pressure of 3.0 MPa for 2 h). An adsorption test and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy showed that 5% Y-CeO2 could effectively inhibit the formation of triple-bonded methoxy species, and promote the formation of bidentate carbonate and bridged methoxy intermediates, which is conducive to the improvement of reaction activity.

Upgrading of Biobased Glycerol to Glycerol Carbonate as a Tool to Reduce the CO2 Emissions of the Biodiesel Fuel Life Cycle

With regards to oil-based diesel fuel, the adoption of bio-derived diesel fuel was estimated to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 75%, considering the whole life cycle. In this paper, we present a novel continuous-flow process able to transfer an equimolar amount of CO₂ (through urea) to glycerol, producing glycerol carbonate. This represents a convenient tool, able to both improve the efficiency of the biodiesel production through the conversion of waste streams into added-value chemicals and to beneficially contribute to the whole carbon cycle. By means of a Design of Experiments approach, the influence of key operating variables on the product yield was studied and statistically modeled.