Ru-Co Interface Unlocks Efficient Solar-Driven CO₂ Conversion into Value-Added Hydrocarbons under Mild Conditions

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Cobalt-based catalysts are active for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis but favor C1 hydrocarbons in CO2 hydrogenation.
• CO2 hydrogenation often yields undesirable C1 products like CO and methane, limiting value-added chemical production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel catalyst for efficient photothermocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation to value-added hydrocarbons.
• To investigate the role of catalyst interfaces in enhancing CO2 conversion and hydrocarbon selectivity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a 0.04RuCo/MnO-500 catalyst for photothermocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation.
• Characterization of catalyst performance, including CO2 conversion and C2+ hydrocarbon selectivity.
• Analysis of interfacial sites between Cobalt (Co) and Ruthenium (Ru) to understand catalytic mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The 0.04RuCo/MnO-500 catalyst achieved 65.6% CO2 conversion and 63.2% C2+ hydrocarbon selectivity under mild conditions.
• The catalyst demonstrated a time-yield of 8.2 mmolCH2 gcat-1 h-1 for C2+ hydrocarbons, significantly outperforming Co/MnO-500 and 0.04Ru/MnO-500.
• Interfacial sites between Ru and Co were identified as crucial for enhanced adsorption and activation of intermediate *CO, suppressing CO formation.

Conclusions:

• The developed Ru/Co catalyst offers a promising pathway for direct CO2 conversion into valuable hydrocarbons.
• The study highlights the importance of interfacial engineering in catalyst design for sustainable chemical production.
• This photothermocatalytic approach addresses the need for efficient conversion of CO2 into sustainable energy sources.