#syngas

A chemical reaction can convert two polluting greenhouse gases into valuable building blocks for cleaner fuels and feedstocks, but the high temperature required for the reaction also deactivates the catalyst. A team led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has found a way to thwart deactivation. The strategy may apply broadly to other catalysts. The team improved a reaction called dry reforming of methane that converts methane and carbon dioxide into syngas, a valued mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide used by oil and chemical companies worldwide. The team has applied for a patent for their invention as a way to minimize catalytic deactivation.

Synergistic interplay mechanism of dual active sites on bimetallic oxide for syngas conversion

Catalytic syngas conversion is the key route to bridge the gap between various carbon resources and essential chemicals. Oxide-zeolite (OXZEO) bifunctional catalysis is a new platform for this conversion.

Recently, a research team led by Prof. Hou Guangjin from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has revealed the synergistic interplay mechanism of dual active sites on bimetallic oxide for efficient syngas conversion at the atomic level.

This study was published in Chem on Feb. 8.

The researchers investigated syngas conversion over a representative spinel ZnAl2O4 oxide with combined advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technologies. They utilized an in-situ NMR method to observe the full process of syngas conversion to methanol over ZnAl2O4 catalyst, during which the formate and methoxy species were identified as the key intermediates.

Excerpt from this story from Earther/Gizmodo:

What if we could copy how plants create their own energy—and use it to power our world?

In a study published last week in Nature, researchers say they’ve created a prototype of a device with the potential to do just that. The team from the University of Cambridge described a floating solar “leaf,” which uses the power of the sun and the water to create fuel.

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“Our artificial leaves work similarly to plant leaves,” Virgil Andrei, a research fellow at the University of Cambridge and one of the study’s coauthors, said in an email. “However, instead of sugars, we are producing useful chemicals.”

The leaves that Andrei and his colleagues have created aren’t solar panels, which create electricity using solar energy. Rather, this technology uses sunlight to produce a chemical reaction—in this case, to create the components needed for liquid fuel. The leaves copy the photosynthetic process of plants using two different kinds of fuel cells made from lead perovskite, a type of solar cell, to produce the building blocks for syngas.

A widely-used gas that is currently produced from fossil fuels can instead be made by an 'artificial leaf' that uses only sunlight, carbon dioxide and water, and which could eventually be used to develop a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to petrol.

The carbon-neutral device sets a new benchmark in the field of solar fuels, after researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrated that it can directly produce the gas -- called syngas -- in a sustainable and simple way.

Rather than running on fossil fuels, the artificial leaf is powered by sunlight, although it still works efficiently on cloudy and overcast days. And unlike the current industrial processes for producing syngas, the leaf does not release any additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The results are reported in the journal Nature Materials.

Syngas is currently made from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and is used to produce a range of commodities, such as fuels, pharmaceuticals, plastics and fertilisers.

"You may not have heard of syngas itself but every day, you consume products that were created using it. Being able to produce it sustainably would be a critical step in closing the global carbon cycle and establishing a sustainable chemical and fuel industry," said senior author Professor Erwin Reisner from Cambridge's Department of Chemistry, who has spent seven years working towards this goal.

Gasification Goes Green: Low-Temp Photocatalyst Slashes Carbon Footprint for Syngas

Rice University engineers have created a light-powered nanoparticle that could shrink the carbon footprint of a major segment of the chemical industry.

The particle, tiny spheres of copper dotted with single atoms of ruthenium, is the key component in a green process for making syngas, or synthesis gas, valuable chemical feedstock that’s used to make fuels, fertilizer and many other products. Researchers from Rice, UCLA and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), describe the low-energy, low-temperature syngas production process this week in Nature Energy.

“Syngas can be made in many ways, but one of those, methane dry reforming, is increasingly important because the chemical inputs are methane and carbon dioxide, two potent and problematic greenhouse gases,” said Rice chemist and engineer Naomi Halas, a co-corresponding author on the paper.

Syngas is a mix of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas that can be made from coal, biomass, natural gas and other sources. It’s produced at hundreds of gasification plants worldwide and is used to make fuels and chemicals worth more than $46 billion per year, according to a 2017 analysis by BCC Research.

Porous silica protects nickel catalyst

By wrapping nickel nanoparticles in a protective shield of porous silica, A*STAR researchers have developed a highly active and robust catalyst that could help to produce methane from biomass.

Biomass is a potentially carbon neutral feedstock to make fuels or other useful chemicals. Through a process called gasification, biomass is converted to a mixture, known as syngas, comprising carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Syngas can be turned into a range of other chemicals, including methane, which may be used as a transportation fuel or town gas, or burned to generate electricity.

Various catalysts convert syngas to methane. Nickel is one of the most common, due to its high activity and moderate cost, and it is typically supported on another material such as alumina or silica. But the catalyst can become deactivated during this high temperature methanation reaction, either through a build-up of carbon called coking, or by a process called sintering in which catalyst particles clump together. Moreover, any traces of sulfur compounds in the syngas can very quickly switch off nickel's catalytic activity, so syngas must go through an expensive cleaning process to remove sulfur before methanation.

Market insights

The Global Syngas Market is witnessing significant growth as industries increasingly adopt cleaner and more efficient energy solutions for power generation, chemical production, and industrial processing. Syngas, a mixture primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, serves as an essential feedstock for producing fuels, fertilizers, methanol, ammonia, and other value-added chemicals. Growing investments in advanced gasification technologies, sustainable energy infrastructure, and industrial modernization are driving market expansion. Continuous advancements in feedstock conversion, process optimization, and emission reduction technologies are improving production efficiency and operational reliability. As industries focus on enhancing energy security and reducing environmental impact, the Global Syngas Market is expected to experience steady long-term growth.

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Market Overview

The Global Syngas Market is evolving with increasing adoption across chemical manufacturing, power generation, fuel production, and industrial applications. Manufacturers are investing in advanced gasification systems, efficient feedstock utilization, and innovative production technologies to improve performance and reduce operational costs. Growing interest in cleaner industrial processes and diversified energy sources is creating new opportunities for syngas production. Continuous technological innovation and expanding industrial infrastructure are expected to strengthen market development across multiple regions.

Key Points

• Rising demand for cleaner industrial fuel and chemical feedstocks • Increasing investments in advanced gasification and syngas production technologies • Growing applications in power generation, chemical manufacturing, and fuel production • Continuous advancements in process efficiency and emission reduction technologies • Expanding focus on energy diversification and sustainable industrial development • Strong opportunities driven by innovation in feedstock conversion and energy solutions

Future Outlook

The future of the Global Syngas Market remains promising as industries continue investing in advanced production technologies and sustainable energy solutions. Improvements in gasification efficiency, process automation, and integrated energy systems are expected to enhance commercial viability and support wider adoption. Companies focusing on innovation, operational excellence, and environmentally responsible production methods are likely to strengthen their competitive position while meeting the evolving demands of global industries.

Conclusion

The Global Syngas Market is well-positioned for sustained growth, supported by technological advancements, expanding industrial applications, and increasing demand for efficient energy and chemical production solutions. As industries continue to prioritize sustainability and operational efficiency, the market is expected to create valuable opportunities for manufacturers, technology providers, suppliers, and investors.