Carbon Dioxide Recycling: Emerging Large‐Scale Technologies with Industrial Potential

Abstract

This Review introduces this special issue of ChemSusChem dedicated to CO(2) recycling. Its aim is to offer an up-to-date overview of CO(2) chemical utilization (inorganic mineralization, organic carboxylation, reduction reactions, and biochemical conversion), as a continuation and extension of earlier books and reviews on this topic, but with a specific focus on large-volume routes and projects/pilot plants that are currently emerging at (pre-)industrial level. The Review also highlights how some of these routes will offer a valuable opportunity to introduce renewable energy into the existing energy and chemical infrastructure (i.e., "drop-in" renewable energy) by synthesis of chemicals from CO(2) that are easy to transport and store. CO(2) conversion therefore has the potential to become a key pillar of the sustainable and resource-efficient production of chemicals and energy from renewables.

Direct CO2 hydrogenation to methane or methanol from post-combustion exhaust streams – A thermodynamic study

“…So, economic benefits should be considered together with environmental concerns. In this regard, in recent years there has been a focus on developing different possibilities for CO2 recycling as complement of the well-known capture, sequestration and storage approaches, particularly, its conversion into added value products [4][5][6]. This new paradigm considers CO2 as chemical feedstock (value) and not only as a waste that needs to be treated (cost) [7].…”

Aluminium coordination complexes in copolymerization reactions of carbon dioxide and epoxides

“…Therefore, potentially di-aluminium complexes could be prepared, which would allow the Al to play both reactivity roles from within a single compound (with one Al centre for polymer growth and one for activation of the incoming monomer). In this regard, heterometallic catalysts containing Al-salen cations and [Co(CO) 4 ] − anions have been studied for carbonylation of epoxides (to yield anyhydrides). 58,59 Clearly, there is scope for preparing other systems for cooperative catalysis employing Al as a metal centre.…”

“…Et 4 NBr as a co-catalyst. 38 They also studied the individual components of the catalyst system including the free ligand, TPPH 2 , which was inactive, and Et 4 NBr, which produced a low yield of cyclic propylene carbonate.…”

“…As no chloride was present in the catalyst or co-catalyst, further studies were required to ascertain its origin. Control reactions analysed by 1 H NMR and GC showed that NEt 4 Cl and methylene diacetate could form via reaction of NEt 4 OAc with the solvent CH 2 Cl 2 under reflux conditions. From MALDI-TOF MS and GPC data of polymers prepared in toluene (no Cl present), the authors found that two types of polymer chain existed within the product.…”

The Virtuous CO2 Circle or the Three Cs: Capture, Cache, and Convert

“…The reduction of CO 2 is mainly used to produce fine chemicals and fuel, but the demand of fine chemicals is not large enough to be considered as a viable solution to reduce the total amount of the emitted CO 2 . For this reason, fuel and power plants should be considered [84].…”