Some of tomorrow's catalysts for processing renewable and non-renewable feedstocks, diminishing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and increasing the production of energy

Abstract

This review provides a wide-ranging summary of several aspects of heterogeneous catalysis and its impact on the increasing need to generate more energy, less CO₂ and the production of more commodities required by an expanding world population. Particular attention is paid to the options (some of which are already a practical reality) now available for the use of anthropogenic CO₂ as a source for the production of platform chemicals required to sustain civilized life. In this connection, Rubisco-inspired methods of utilizing CO₂ are discussed, as is the utilization of algae to yield ethanol and O₂ from water, CO₂ and sunlight. In addition, the increasing use of methanol (derived from CO₂) as an energy vector, as well as a source of ethene and propene (which are in growing worldwide demand), is adumbrated. As far as strategies for the design of new solid catalysts are concerned, summarizing accounts are given of the emerging popularity and recent successes of supported “single-atom”, chemo-selective catalysts (of Pt, Pd, Ir and Au), of so-called “single-atom alloy” catalysts for selective hydrogenations, and of monophasic single-site heterogeneous catalysts (SSHCs) for a range of chemical processes, some of which have already been commercialized. SSHCs can, in general, be assembled from earth-abundant elements (C, N, O, Mg, Al, P, Fe), and are effective for shape-selective, regio-selective and enantio-selective catalytic conversions. We also briefly discuss the prospect of converting anthropogenic CO₂ into CH₄, and touch upon the action needed to reduce atmospheric CO₂ so as to fulfil the aims of the recent (December 2015) UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP-21).