Pd-Enhanced Carbon-Encapsulated Co Nanoparticles for Efficient Reverse Water–Gas Shift under Magnetic Induction Heating

Reducing CO₂ to CO via the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction is a promising strategy for carbon capture and utilization (CCU). In this study, tailored magnetic catalysts were designed through the pyrolysis of a Co-based MOF to form well-defined nanoparticles. As a result, carbon-encapsulated cobalt nanoparticles (<b>Co@C</b>) and palladium-doped cobalt nanoparticles (<b>CoPd/Co@C</b>) were synthesized and thoroughly characterized using a variety of techniques, including <i>in situ</i> X-ray absorption and diffraction experiments. These carbon-based catalysts were simultaneously used as heating agents and catalysts for the magnetically induced RWGS reaction, exhibiting remarkable activity and selectivity for syngas production. CO₂ conversions of 61.1% and 71.1% were obtained for <b>Co@C</b> and <b>CoPd/Co@C</b> (63 mT, 2 kW, 320 kHz), respectively. Using magnetic induction heating (MIH), these catalysts operate at lower local temperatures and with greater energy efficiency than conventional thermal heating, while achieving superior CO production efficiency. Notably, <b>CoPd/Co@C</b> achieved highly satisfactory CO production efficiency (478.5 mL_CO/kW·h), demonstrating a significant improvement compared to the analogous process utilizing magnetically induced heating. Furthermore, <b>CoPd/Co@C</b> exhibited unwavering stability, maintaining its performance for more than 200 h without significant degradation or need for reactivation. This study highlights the potential of MIH for industrial applications in CO₂ reduction, offering a more renewable and economically viable alternative to traditional methods.