C3PO · CO2 hydrogenation to CH3OH in a 3D porous monolith-based plasma-catalytic reactor

The objective of the C3PO project is to design, build and validate the first high-throughput plasma-catalytic reactor for the selective hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol (CH3OH). CH3OH is a versatile fuel and chemical feedstock, yet conventional thermocatalytic production from CO2 requires high temperatures/pressures, making the process energy-intensive. Plasma catalysis offers a disruptive alternative at near-ambient conditions, but current dielectric barrier discharge reactors face limitations in selectivity, scalability and reliable product quantification. C3PO addresses these limitations by integrating 3D porous monolith catalysts (honeycomb/foam structures) that ensure microscale plasma-catalyst proximity, enabling true plasma-catalyst synergy. This architecture permits precise tuning of the reduced electric field (E/N) to favour vibrational activation of CO2 and enhances CH3OH selectivity. The approach also enables larger plasma volumes and higher throughput without pressure build-up, providing a pathway towards industrial relevance. The project is structured into four interconnected work packages: (i) reactor design/construction to sustain stable plasma in 3D catalysts (ii) computational fluid dynamics and plasma modelling to identify optimum void size and E/N, (iii) synthesis/characterisation of robust 3D catalysts with uniform coatings, and (iv) experimental validation with accurate online product analysis, culminating in a proof-of-concept demonstration of scalability. Relevance to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship work programme lies in C3PO’s advancement of frontier research in sustainable and electrified chemical processes, its multidisciplinary integration of plasma physics/catalysis/materials engineering, and its alignment with EU climate and energy objectives. By addressing key scientific and technological bottlenecks in CO2 utilisation, the project contributes to Europe’s transition towards a climate-neutral and circular economy.