What will it take to decarbonize the chemicals and petrochemicals industries with light?

The chemicals and petrochemicals industries will seek their old friend—gas-phase heterogeneous catalysis—to help make the transition from fossil fuels to light in order to power our future global sustainable energy landscape. A scenario that is envisioned to come to pass involves a gradual switch from fossil (coal, oil, and gas) precursors and heat conversion to products by gas-phase heterogeneous thermocatalysis over to air (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water) precursors and light conversion to products by gas-phase heterogeneous photocatalysis. The chemicals and petrochemicals industries will seek their old friend—gas-phase heterogeneous catalysis—to help make the transition from fossil fuels to light in order to power our future global sustainable energy landscape. A scenario that is envisioned to come to pass involves a gradual switch from fossil (coal, oil, and gas) precursors and heat conversion to products by gas-phase heterogeneous thermocatalysis over to air (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water) precursors and light conversion to products by gas-phase heterogeneous photocatalysis.