· Title: Turning Air into Chemicals: Catalytic Materials for a Sustainable Carbon Industry

· Speakers: Dr. Dongha Kim (University of Toronto)

· Date: 2025.5.26.(Mon.), 16:00 ~ 17:00

· Venue: W1-1, #2430 (주흘회의실)

·  Abstract:

Carbon is deeply embedded in our daily lives through a wide range of carbon-based materials and products, most of which are derived from fossil fuels. From the clothes we wear and the plastic bottles we use to the fuels that power our vehicles, hydrocarbons play a central role, but they come at the cost of significant CO₂ emissions.

In this talk, I will present CO2 capture systems and conversion catalysts that enable the production of hydrocarbon-based products from CO2 captured from air. First, I will present a passive direct air capture method that operates under natural wind conditions, eliminating the need for energy-intensive systems that rely on large fans. The captured CO2 can then be electrochemically extracted as a high-purity reactant with a low energy input. Next, I will introduce electrocatalyts that convert this concentrated CO2, along with abundant water, into key chemical feedstocks such as H2, CO, and C2H4, which serve as essential building blocks in the chemical industry. I will discuss two types of electrocatalysts: a room-temperature system using metal-based catalytic materials and a high-temperature system using oxide-based catalytic materials. Each offers distinct advantages in terms of product selectivity and energy efficiency. Finally, I will discuss the potential of thermocatalytic upgrading of these chemical feedstocks into fuels and plastics with minimal carbon emissions, outlining a vision for a sustainable carbon industry.