The study featured on the cover of ACS Catalysis, a prestigious international scientific journal, was conducted by the Department of Energy at Politecnico di Milano. The research explores an advanced process for converting carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methane using nickel nanoparticles, making a significant contribution to the fight against climate change.

The study, entitled Deciphering Size and Shape Effects on the Structure Sensitivity of the CO₂ Methanation Reaction on Nickel, was conducted at the Laboratory of Catalysis and Catalytic Processes (LCCP), internationally recognised for its expertise in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. The work is authored by Gabriele Spanò, Matteo Ferri, Raffaele Cheula, Matteo Monai, Bert M. Weckhuysen and Matteo Maestri.

Through atomistic simulations combined with experimental data, the researchers demonstrated that the shape and size of nickel nanoparticles have a decisive influence on the speed of the CO₂ methanation reaction. The result opens up new prospects for the engineering of more efficient catalysts, with potential applications in other key industrial processes such as ammonia synthesis or the Fischer-Tropsch process.

«Understanding the role of nanoparticle shape and size allows us to design more efficient catalysts. It is a fundamental step forward towards the use of CO₂ as a resource», says Gabriele Spanò, first author and PhD student at the Department of Energy.

«This work is a concrete example of how the combination of experimental data and advanced modelling can address complex problems with high application impact», adds Matteo Maestri, full professor at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Milano in the Laboratory of Catalysis and Catalytic Processes (LCCP).

The Department’s contribution is part of the broader context of the energy transition, providing key insights for the design of catalytic materials for CO₂ conversion.