Evonik project to convert greenhouse gas to raw material for C4 chemicals

MARL, Germany—Evonik Industries A.G. is working with three partners on a new technology to produce C4 chemicals from carbon dioxide.

The German chemicals manufacturer has received a funding of over $1.9 million from the German government to develop the technology, which involves extracting synthesis gas from CO2 and hydrogen by means of a plasma reactor, using a newly developed process.

The project, dubbed PlasCO2—standing for "plasma-induced" generation of carbon monoxide from CO2—will be coordinated by Evonik and will involve research into catalysts, plasma and plant engineering, Evonik said Jan. 24.

In addition to Evonik, the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research (INP) and Rafflenbeul Anlagen Bau GmbH also are involved.

At the heart of the project is the conversion of carbon dioxide with hydrogen to carbon monoxide.

Low-temperature plasmas are to be used as a novel power source, requiring little energy to activate the inert carbon "particularly efficiently."

To generate the plasmas, the research group aims to develop a new kind of reactor that can be operated with renewable energy sources, Evonik said.

These reactors should be widely deployable and commercializable in the future.

The synthesis gas generated in this way can be used to produce organic compounds in C4 chemistry.

Those can in turn be used to produce plasticizers or petrochemical specialties, Evonik said.

Evonik will begin with basic research, initially carrying out evaluations of eco-efficiency and economic viability as well as quantum chemical calculations.

According to the German producer, the plasma reactors employed so far have been used for the purification of exhaust gas.

Evonik said it is continuing to work on the development of the reactors so that in about four years it can build a pilot plant that can create the plasma with renewable resources.

"To carry out these projects of application-oriented basic research, we at Evonik absolutely need the expertise of our partners at the research institutes and at other companies," said Marc Oliver Kristen, project manager of PlasCO2.

"If we succeed in generating carbon dioxide as a raw material, … we would open up a completely new world of chemistry," said Professor Robert Franke, head of hydroformylation research at Evonik Performance Intermediates and coordinator of the PlasCO2 project.