PNNL

Abstract

This report summarizes major accomplishments from the DOE–FECM-funded Integrated Capture of CO2 into Materials (IC3M) program, launched in 2023 with 20% cost share from SoCalGas, to advance PNNL’s capture-to-conversion platform for producing CO2-derived fuels and chemicals. Building on earlier DOE–TCF successes, the project significantly advanced integrated CO2 capture and conversion, catalyst innovation, solvent durability understanding, and techno-economic competitiveness, while expanding IC3M to multiple product pathways. A key milestone was the first semi-closed-loop demonstration of the IC3M process, integrating CO2 capture using the EEMPA solvent with catalytic conversion in PNNL’s TCCS reactor. The system achieved stable operation for eight continuous hours, validating that capture and conversion can be combined in a unified, steady-state process—an essential step toward pilot-scale deployment. Catalyst development delivered two high-performing systems, Pt/MoO3 and Pt/ZrO2, each maintaining stable methanol production for >100 hours; Pt/ZrO2 achieved nearly 100% selectivity, marking a major advancement in integrated methanol synthesis. A comprehensive TEA showed the 2024 state-of-technology reducing methanol minimum selling price by ~30% versus 2022 baselines and >25% lower costs than conventional separate capture and conversion (SC3M), confirming clear economic advantages of the IC3M architecture. IC3M also demonstrated flexibility across multiple CO2-derived products: formate synthesis; >90% single-pass conversion to methane, with Ru/Al2O3 achieving >99% conversion and Ni/TiO2 identified as a cost-effective alternative; and a first-of-its-kind one-step co-production of methanol and glycol with >75% selectivity, 5× productivity gains, and life-cycle analysis showing potentially negative-emission performance. Extensive solvent-durability testing revealed clear structure–stability trends, identifying DSBA and several substituted amines as highly durable (