Nanoparticle-enabled integration of air capture and conversion of CO2

Abstract

Integrating air capture and conversion of CO₂ is key to realizing energy sustainability. However, current integration approaches require high temperature and pressure, making them energy intensive. Here, we demonstrate a nanoparticle (NP) catalysis approach for the hydrogenation of alkyl carbonate, an intermediate obtained from the CO₂ capture process, to formate, achieving one-pot air capture and conversion of CO₂ under ambient conditions. The capture is realized in an ethylene glycol (EG) solution of KOH (EG–KOH) at room temperature, where CO₂ is selectively converted into HO–CH₂CH₂–O–COOK (∼100% conversion). This carbonate is then hydrogenated using ammonia borane (under ambient pressure and at 50 °C) to formate (HCOOK) (>90% yield) in the presence of a stable Pd NP catalyst with EG being regenerated. Atomistic simulations suggest that the CO₂ absorption process in the EG–KOH solution is energetically stable, and the catalyst surface provides the reaction site to break the C–O bond in the –O–COOK structure, enabling the hydrogenation of the alkyl carbonate to formate and the regeneration of EG. Our study provides a promising NP-catalysis approach for air capture and conversion of CO₂ into value-added chemicals/fuels under ambient conditions.