Trimetallic supported catalyst for renewable source of energy and environmental control through CO2 conversion.

A supported catalyst and a catalytic process have been developed for the conversion of carbgas (CO2 + (100 ppm) H2O + 1% H2) as a renewable source of energy and as a measure for the control of carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas. The carbgas was passed over a trimetallic supported catalyst consisting of ruthenium (Ru), manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) dispersed on a high surface area titanium dioxide support at 673 K and at atmospheric pressure with a gas space velocity of 6000-7200/h. The catalytic reaction produces methanol and propyne in a fixed bed reactor system. The catalyst simultaneously splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, and carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen under very mild reaction conditions and at atmospheric pressure. The oxygen generated during the reaction and the addition of hydrogen during the catalytic reaction not only generates a considerable amount of energy for the reaction to proceed but also sustains the oxidation states of Ru, Mn and Co. This process maintains the specific active oxidation states of the metals during the catalytic run -- a key step in the process.