Utilizing environmental CO2 to generate operational fuels and chemicals represents a “game changing” technology for the U.S. Navy. Accordingly, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is actively developing methodologies that can generate hydrocarbons using CO2 and H2 feedstocks derived from seawater. Previous work performed at NRL has demonstrated that these feedstocks can be electrolytically produced from seawater in sufficient quantities, and subsequently transformed to hydrocarbons thermo-catalytically through a combination of reverse water gas shift (RWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactions.1-3 While this work has seen significant progress in recent years, the hydrocarbons generated to date are devoid of cyclic compounds (both aromatic and cycloparaffins), which are key components of Navy relevant fuels. Accordingly, fundamental studies aimed at identifying and understanding key descriptors of catalyst activity, selectivity and stability for the catalytic reforming of CO2 derived hydrocarbons to relevant cyclic species (C5-C9) is critical for the development of fuel-producing systems for Naval deployment.

We are interested in researchers who have expertise in catalysis, zeolite synthesis and characterization, chemical engineering, inorganic chemistry, and novel energy solutions.

References:

1. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 50, 9876–9882 (2011).

2. Energy & Fuels 27, 6348–6354 (2013).

3. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 53, 12192–12200 (2014).