RESEARCH LINE - NEW GREEN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Our group belongs to the area of Processes Engineering of the Chemical and Environmental Engineering of the UTFSM, Chile.

Today, there is a growing consensus that reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is crucial, but it's not just about fuel. Common materials like textiles, solvents, and polymers also derive from fossil sources. Fortunately, these can be synthesized from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (CHON). Nitrogen and oxygen are plentiful in the atmosphere, and while green hydrogen from water splitting is still costly, becoming more affordable. Carbon can be sourced from atmospheric or industrial CO2 emissions using capture technologies. So, by harnessing CO2, N2, and H2 derived from air, water, and clean energy, it is possible to create green fuels, green solvents, and green fertilizers, among other sustainable products. Below are some examples:

Although their potential, currently, many such chemical processes have only small industrial experience and are not so efficient or cost-effective. In that context, this research line has as its objective to enhance competitiveness and promote the widespread adoption of the chemical species industry obtained from the recycling of CO2 and green H2, through the design and optimization of novel equipment and processes.

As a group, our focus is progressing in understanding the phenomena present in the catalytic conversion of green H2 and captured CO2 into chemical species of interest, as well as the process equipment involved, to overcome the imbalance in the carbon cycle caused by human activity.