Thermally cured nickel-based catalysts enabling high-activity plasma-assisted CO₂ hydrogenation

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Plasma Science
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Growing demand for sustainable CO2 utilization due to global warming and energy transition.
• Need for efficient catalytic processes for CO2 conversion into valuable products like methane.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a thermal-curing strategy for synthesizing highly efficient Nickel-based catalysts.
• To enable low-temperature CO2 methanation via plasma-catalytic and thermocatalytic pathways.
• To investigate the role of in-situ plasma treatment in enhancing catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Nickel-based catalysts (10Ni/ZrO2-50nm) using a thermal-curing strategy.
• Evaluation of catalytic performance in CO2 methanation under plasma-assisted and thermocatalytic conditions.
• In-situ plasma treatment and comprehensive characterization (e.g., XPS, TEM) to understand reaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Optimized 10Ni/ZrO2-50nm catalyst achieved 94.4% CO2 conversion and 99% CH4 selectivity under plasma-assistance (25W).
• Demonstrated superior catalyst stability (240h) with sustained high methane selectivity.
• In-situ plasma treatment effectively reduced Ni2+ to Ni0 at room temperature, enhancing activity and eliminating external heating.

Conclusions:

• The developed catalyst and plasma activation strategy offer an energy-efficient route for CO2 methanation.
• Plasma exposure modulates metal-support interactions and surface species, facilitating CO2 activation.
• This approach provides a scalable solution for sustainable CO2 conversion towards carbon-neutral fuel synthesis.