Alain Goeppert

The hydrogenation of formate or formic acid to methane achieved yields of up to 100% using a heterogeneous 5%Ru/Al ₂ O ₃ catalyst.

The utilization of metal carbonates to produce directly valuable carbon feedstocks remains a major challenge, particularly under mild operating conditions. Herein, we report the elusive conversion of inorganic metal carbonates, such as sodium and potassium carbonates, to methanol in a one‐step process with molecular hydrogen over a heterogeneous Cu/ZnO/Al ₂ O ₃ catalyst. The hydrogenation occurs effectively at a relatively mild temperature of 200°C and proceeds in presence of ethylene glycol in the liquid phase with methanol yields of up to 95%. Alkali carbonates/bicarbonate salts obtained by capturing CO ₂ from ambient air (Direct Air Capture, DAC) and flue gas CO ₂ with aqueous alkali media also undergo facile hydrogenation to methanol.

Addition of ionic liquids in an amine-based system greatly improved the CO ₂ to methanol yield over a heterogeneous Cu/ZnO/Al ₂ O ₃ catalyst.

An integrated CO ₂ capture and conversion system utilizing metal hydroxide salts has been developed to capture CO ₂ from various sources including air in the form of carbonate salts and convert them directly into a synthetic fuel; methane.

Increasing carbon dioxide emissions has sparked a growing interest in capturing these emissions at the source of their release. For such processes, amines can be used as carbon dioxide capture agents. Herein, CO₂ was captured under ambient conditions using solutions of amines and polyamines in ethylene glycol. The captured solutions were then successfully hydrogenated to methanol under hydrogen pressure with a heterogeneous Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ industrial catalyst. An extensive amine scope found that tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine, with two tertiary amine sites, provided the highest methanol productivity. This reaction was then optimized to achieve up to 89% methanol yield under relatively mild conditions of 250 °C and 80 bar H₂ pressure. The catalyst was shown to be recyclable over five reaction cycles.

CO₂captured species with aqueous metal phosphates are converted to methane in an integrated hydrogenation process over a heterogeneous catalyst.

An innovative integrated route for CO₂capture and conversion to methane relying on inexpensive metal hydroxides and nickel-based catalysts is presented.

Cellulose is one of the main components of plant matter, which makes it a viable target for biomass conversion to fuels. The direct conversion of cellulose to methane utilizing nickel‐based catalysts often has challenges associated with it. Carbon agglomeration creating nickel‐carbon nanoparticles deactivating catalytic hydrogenation of cellulose has been well reported. Utilizing rare‐earth metals as promoters increases the conversion of cellulose to methane, albeit with deactivation of the catalyst in the form of nickel‐rare‐earth‐carbon nanoparticles. Adding an additional zinc metal promoter eliminates the carbon agglomeration and allows for increased methane yields. Herein, we report an 81 % methane yield from cellulose in 48 hours utilizing a Ni/Zn/Y/Al₂O₃ catalyst at 225 °C and under 50 bar H₂ pressure.