Metal oxides perform in high temperatures to aid industrial decarbonisation

Metal oxides play a crucial role in processes that reduce CO2 emissions, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), purifying and recycling inert gases in solar panel manufacturing, thermochemical energy storage, and producing hydrogen.

These processes are based on redox reactions, but the performance of metal oxides suffers under redox reactions at the high temperatures required for chemical manufacturing.

Now, a team led by Imperial College London has developed a new materials design strategy that produces copper-based metal oxides that are said to perform better under high temperatures. The team’s research is published in Nature Communications.

In a statement, senior author Dr Qilei Song, of Imperial’s Department of Chemical Engineering, said: “As the world transitions to net zero, we need more innovative industrial processes for decarbonisation. To enhance energy security, we must diversify the electricity supply, from renewable energy generation and storage to clean use of fossil fuels with CCUS technologies. Our improved metal oxides hold great potential for use in the energy processes that are helping us reach net zero.”