Non-noble metal nanocatalysts for the purification and reduction of carbon dioxide

The transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources is expected to take several decades. A major challenge in the interim is efficient capture, purification, and upgrading of carbon dioxide (CO2). The development of novel heterogeneous catalytic systems is essential to address many of the technological and economic challenges at hand. Nanostructures based on non-noble metals have been traditionally understudied due to their high chemical instability in both synthesis and application. The unique sensitivity and chemical reactivity of their nanostructures, however, offer the possibility for designing new catalytic systems with inherent benefits (e.g., product selectivity, mass activity, and cost). This thesis contains two parts: first on the development of nanomaterial systems for the purification of CO2 from flue gas by the catalytic reduction of oxygen (O2) and second on the design of novel catalysts for the thermal and electrochemical reduction of CO2. This research aims at combining the fundamentals of nanostructures and catalysis with practical applications such to provide new processes for the sequestration and utilization of CO2.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Kuhn, Andrew N

Contributors dc:contributor

• Yang, Hong
• Flaherty, David
• Kenis, Paul
• Murphy, Catherine
• Lu, Yongqi

• Nanomaterials
• catalysis, CO2 capture
• CO2 utilization
• copper

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2021 Andrew Kuhn

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/113165

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/113165