CO Conversion via Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction Using Fully Selective Mo-P Multicomponent Catalysts.

The reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGS) has attracted much attention as a potential means to widespread utilization of CO through the production of synthesis gas. However, for commercial implementation of RWGS at the scales needed to replace fossil feedstocks with CO, new catalysts must be developed using earth abundant materials, and these catalysts must suppress the competing methanation reaction completely while maintaining stable performance at elevated temperatures and high conversions producing large quantities of water. Herein we identify molybdenum phosphide (MoP) as a nonprecious metal catalyst that satisfies these requirements. Supported MoP catalysts completely suppress methanation while undergoing minimal deactivation, opening up possibilities for their use in CO utilization.