For the foreseeable future, electricity production will be largely based on the combustion of fossil fuels, generating large amounts of CO2. In addition, many chemical processes such as ammonia synthesis, aluminium production, oil refining and iron and steel works etc are major CO2 producers. Research at Newcastle University has resulted in the development of catalysts which convert waste CO2 into commercially important cyclic carbonates at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. The immobilisation of the catalysts and their use in gas-phase flow reactors has also been demonstrated.
Back to Research Theme - Catalysis for Energy