Simona Renda

@article{GONZALEZPIZARRO2026136974,

title = {Tuning e-fuel selectivity in sorption-enhanced CO2 hydrogenation over In2O3/ZrO2: The effect of LTA and FAU zeolites},

author = {R. González-Pizarro and R. Calero-Berrocal and J. Lasobras and S. Renda and M. R. Rodríguez-Pardo and J. Soler and M. Menéndez and J. Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236125026997},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136974},

issn = {0016-2361},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Fuel},

volume = {406},

pages = {136974},

abstract = {The e-fuels synthesis via CO2 hydrogenation and the Sorption Enhanced Reaction technology are captivating strategies for CO2 utilization and the integration of renewable energy sources. This study focuses on enhancing the conversion of CO2 over an In2O3/ZrO2 catalyst by incorporating LTA zeolites (3A and 4A) and a FAU zeolite (13X). Key operational parameters, such as temperature (T), Gas Hour Space Velocity (GHSV), type of zeolite, and Zeolite: Catalyst mass ratio (Z/C), were systematically varied. LTA zeolites (3A and 4A) provided the highest CO2 conversions. The introduction of a water-adsorbing solid into the reactor significantly altered the products yield and selectivity. While the selectivity towards CH4, CH3OH, and C2H6O appeared to lay on the type of zeolite, the selectivity towards CO remained unaffected. Zeolite 3A demonstrated the greatest enhancement in selectivity towards CH4 and CH3OH, whereas the synthesis of C2H6O was favored by zeolites 4A and 13X. The Zeolite:Catalyst mass ratio also played a crucial role in process performance, influencing both CO2 conversion and product selectivity. Increasing this ratio improved CO2 conversion and reduced CO selectivity under all operating conditions, while CH4 selectivity increased. However, the selectivity toward CH3OH and C2H6O exhibited an anomalous and complementary behavior. While a maximum was observed for DME, a minimum was registered in methanol production, suggesting a dependency of the dehydration reaction kinetics on the amount of water produced during the reaction.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{GONZALEZPIZARRO2026137642,

title = {Low loading copper-based catalysts for effective CO2 hydrogenation to methanol},

author = {R. González-Pizarro and S. Renda and J. Lasobras and J. Soler and M. Menéndez and J. Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001623612503368X},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.137642},

issn = {0016-2361},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Fuel},

volume = {408},

pages = {137642},

abstract = {Methanol synthesis via CO2 hydrogenation is an emerging Power-to-Liquid (PtL) technology aimed to accelerate the energy transition and the defossilization of key sectors, particularly maritime transport. This study focuses on the study of low loading formulations, to minimize the catalyst cost. Key operational variables including temperature (T), Weight Hourly Space Velocity (WHSV), copper and zinc loadings, and aging state were systematically varied. An overall active phase loading of 10 %wt emerged as optimal. Within this total loading, a 5 %wtCu-5 %wtZn/ZrO2 catalysts delivered higher methanol productivity than 10 %wtCu/ZrO2; however, the bimetallic catalysts showed pronounced deactivation under water-rich atmospheres, establishing 10 %wtCu/ZrO2 as the most promising catalysts. Operating temperature and WHSV exerted a strong, synergistic influence on CH3OH formation; in particular, increasing WHSV shifted the reaction away from thermodynamic control and boosted methanol synthesis. Finally, the catalytic performance of these low-loading catalysts was benchmarked against high-copper-loading methanol catalysts reported in the literature by critically compare their activities as a function of the residence time (τ) calculated at reaction conditions. This assessment revealed that the proposed formulation is highly competitive when compared to most conventional formulation, with a maximum methanol space time yield (STYCH3OH) of 3.9 gCH3OH gCu-1 h-1. This comparison confirms that the catalysts proposed in this study could offer a remarkably more efficient use of the active phase than the conventional high-copper-loading catalysts.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{GONZALEZPIZARRO2026138902,

title = {Overcoming thermodynamic limitations of the low-temperature reverse water-gas shift in a sorption-enhanced fluidized bed reactor with continuous sorbent feeding and separation (SEFBR + CSF)},

author = {R. González-Pizarro and J. Lasobras and S. Renda and J. Soler and M. Menéndez and J. Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383586626021684},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.138902},

issn = {1383-5866},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Separation and Purification Technology},

volume = {404},

pages = {138902},

abstract = {Abstract 

This work presents a novel approach for intensifying the reverse water gas shift (rWGS) reaction by integrating an advanced fluidized-bed reactor design with a continuous solid sorbent feeding/separation strategy. The proposed Sorption Enhanced Fluidized Bed Reactor combined with Continuous Sorbent Feeding and Separation (SEFBR + CSF) enables continuous operation while maintaining the intensification effect traditionally associated with temporal-limited sorption-enhanced processes. This configuration externalizes the regeneration of the water-adsorbing zeolite, which is continuously and selectively withdrawn from the reactor in a partially or fully saturated state and replaced with regenerated material, thereby sustaining the sorption capacity throughout operation. Process intensification was experimentally demonstrated in the SEFBR + CSF configuration, which achieved CO yields significantly higher than those obtained in the conventional fluidized-bed reactor (cFBR). During the interval in which continuous sorbent feeding was applied, CO production surpassed the thermodynamic equilibrium limit at operating temperatures between 260 and 300 °C. When compared with literature data under similar conditions, the proposed system exhibited superior CO yields, particularly in the low-temperature regime where conventional LT-rWGS performance is typically limited. Overall, the SEFBR + CSF system represents a promising pathway for continuous sorption-enhanced operation, providing improved efficiency and enabling the process to exceed the equilibrium constraints of the LT-rWGS reaction.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ARAGUESALDEA2026115899,

title = {Packed-bed membrane reactors as a strategy for selective CO2 methanation},

author = {P. Aragüés-Aldea and P. Durán and V. D. Mercader and S. Renda and E. Francés and J. A. Peña and J. Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920586126002233},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2026.115899},

issn = {0920-5861},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Catalysis Today},

volume = {476},

pages = {115899},

abstract = {CO2 methanation represents a key route within Power-to-X strategies for converting captured carbon into synthetic natural gas. However, its efficiency is limited by thermodynamic constraints, heat management issues, and undesired CO formation due to the reverse water–gas shift reaction. In this work, a novel packed-bed membrane reactor (PBMR), conceived as an evolution of the polytropic packed-bed reactor (PPBR), is proposed and experimentally validated for selective CO2 methanation. The reactor enables distributed reactant feeding through a porous membrane wall, allowing enhanced control over local reaction environments along the catalytic bed. A Ni–Fe/Al2O3 catalyst was employed and tested under various operating conditions, including different weight hourly space velocities (WHSV) and feeding configurations (conventional, co-current, and counter-current). The influence of distributing either H2 or CO2 was systematically investigated in terms of CO2 conversion, temperature profiles, and CO selectivity. While distributed configurations did not improve overall CO2 conversion compared to conventional operation, they significantly affected selectivity. In particular, CO2-distributed feeding consistently reduced CO selectivity under iso-conversion conditions, achieving up to a 40% decrease in the most favorable case. This significant reduction highlights the effectiveness of spatial reactant management in driving the reaction pathway toward methane. Overall, these results underline the critical role of reactor design in overcoming selectivity limitations and demonstrate the potential of membrane-assisted distributed feeding as a process intensification strategy for CO2 methanation.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{RENDA2026120682,

title = {Doped In2O3/ZrO2 catalysts to drive selectivity toward DME in one-pot CO2 hydrogenation},

author = {Simona Renda and Jaime Soler and Miguel Menéndez and Javier Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926860X25005848},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120682},

issn = {0926-860X},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Applied Catalysis A: General},

volume = {710},

pages = {120682},

abstract = {This study investigates single-pass dimethyl ether synthesis at mild pressure conditions using novel bifunctional catalysts based on indium-modified formulations and incorporating Ni, Cu, Pt, and Pd as active metals. Additionally, the substitution of the conventional HZSM-5 zeolite with 4A zeolite as the dehydration component was evaluated. Although 4A zeolite exhibited lower dehydration activity, it contributed to an overall improvement in DME selectivity. The incorporation of secondary metals into the In2O3-ZrO2 formulation reduced catalytic activity but enhanced selectivity, ultimately increasing DME yield. The formation of by-products such as light olefins and methane was significantly dependent on the metal used: Ni, Pt, and Pd reduced olefin production, though Ni promoted excessive methane formation across the whole temperature range. Notably, the Pt-based catalyst completely suppressed by-product formation across the temperature range studied. While the In2O3-ZrO2-based catalysts generally displayed lower space–time yields than the commercial reference, they achieved comparable performance at 280 °C. Due to their superior selectivity, these formulations are promising for developing even better performing catalysts, to be excellent candidates in industrial processes, where the operation with recycle loops requires a high product purity.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}