Abstract
With the recent demand to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, a method has been proposed to capture and utilize CO2 by converting it to CH4 (Methanation) and other hydrocarbons. The methanation is known as the Sabatier reaction. Specifically, CH4 is synthesized from hydrogen produced using renewable energy and anthropogenic CO2. However, this reaction requires high temperatures (300-400°C) in the presence of catalysts such as Ni. Therefore, a highly efficient methane production catalyst is desired, and it is desirable to lower the reaction temperature or to convert the reaction to other processes. BaTiO3 is a piezoelectric material and polarization occurs when physical pressure is applied. The polarization causes charge bias on the surface, which might catalyze chemical reactions. In this study, we investigated the possibility of CO2 reduction and methanation at low temperatures by utilizing the piezoelectric effect invoked by ball-milling (BM) of BaTiO3 powder. As a result, CH4 generation was confirmed, and it was suggested that the rate of CH4 generation was slightly dependent on BM time. It is considered that the pressure applied to the powder by the BM caused a piezoelectric effect, resulting in CO2 reduction and concomitant CH4 generation.
