On the Effect of Cobalt Promotion over Ni/CeO2 Catalyst for CO2 Thermal and Plasma Assisted Methanation

In recent years, carbon dioxide hydrogenation leading to synthetic fuels and value-added molecules has been proposed as a promising technology for stabilizing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Methanation or Sabatier are possible reactions to valorize the CO2. In the present work, thermal CO2 methanation and non-thermal plasma (NTP)-assisted CO2 methanation was performed over 15Ni/CeO2 promoted with 1 and 5 wt% of cobalt. The promotion effect of cobalt is proven both for plasma and thermal reaction and can mostly be linked with the basic properties of the materials.

Future-Oriented Experimental Characterization of 3D Printed and Conventional Elastomers Based on Their Swelling Behavior

The present study investigates different elastomers with regard to their behavior towards liquids such as moisture, fuels, or fuel components. First, four additively manufactured materials are examined in detail with respect to their swelling in the fuel component toluene as well as in water. The chemical nature of the materials is elucidated by means of infrared spectroscopy. The experimentally derived absorption curves of the materials in the liquids are described mathematically using Fick’s diffusion law. The mechanical behavior is determined by uniaxial tensile tests, which are evaluated on the basis of stress and strain at break. The results of the study allow for deriving valuable recommendations regarding the printing process and postprocessing. Second, this article investigates the swelling behavior of new as well as thermo-oxidatively aged elastomers in synthetic fuels. For this purpose, an analysis routine is presented using sorption experiments combined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and is thus capable of analyzing the swelling behavior multifacetted. The transition of elastomer constituents into the surrounding fuel at different aging and sorption times is determined precisely. The change in mechanical properties is quantified using density measurements, micro Shore A hardness measurements, and the parameters stress and strain at break from uniaxial tensile tests.

Heterogeneous Catalysts in Grammar School

The discovery of new catalytically active materi- als is one of the holy grails of computational chemistry as it has the potential to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy sources and reduce the energy consumption of chemical industry. Indeed, heterogeneous catalysts are essential for the production of synthetic fuels and many commodity chemicals. Consequently, novel catalysts with higher activity and selectivity, increased sustainability and longevity, or improved prospects for rejuvenation and cyclability are needed for a diverse range of processes. Unfortunately, computational catalyst discovery is a daunting task, among other reasons because it is often unclear whether a proposed material is stable or synthesizable. This perspective proposes a new approach to this challenge, namely the use of generative grammars. We outline how grammars can guide the search for stable catalysts in a large chemical space and sketch out several research directions that would make this technology applicable to real materials.

Low Emission Fast Vessels for Crew Transfer Operations

The paper describes recent development of vessel concepts and propulsion systems for high-speed crew transfer vessels within offshore wind and offshore oil & gas industries. Due to the increased global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, significant reductions in CO2 emissions also from high-speed water transport is needed. Electrification and the use of net zero carbon energy carriers such as batteries, hydrogen or other non-carbon synthetic fuels are necessary to obtain this. It is also necessary to reduce hull resistance and to select the most transport efficient vessel types. As an example of this trend, the recently built surface effect crew transfer vessel CWind Pioneer (picture above) is presented.