Monitoring of the iodide-catalysed SO₂ disproportionation. Credit: UPAT
Monitoring of the iodide-catalysed SO₂ disproportionation. Credit: UPAT
New publication: SO₂ disproportionation for a sulphur-based thermochemical cycle

The article „SO2 disproportionation for a sulphur-based thermochemical cycle studied in an operando Raman batch reactor” has been published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP).

As part of the Sulphurreal project, a team at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Patras investigated the iodide-catalysed SO2 disproportionation reaction at a temperature of 118 degrees Celsius and total pressures up to 9 bar. The disproportionation of SO2 is one of the three process steps constituting a solar-aided thermochemical sulphur-based cycle for producing unlimitedly storable sulphur that can be used on demand.

Use of Raman spectroscopy to study the iodide-catalysed SO₂ disproportionation reaction

The research team used in situ and operando Raman spectroscopy – which are advanced analytical techniques used to study how materials change in real-time under operating conditions. Raman spectroscopy allows for the identification and characterisation of materials by analysing their vibrational modes.

The results offer insight into the mechanism of the homogeneous iodide-catalysed SO2 disproportionation at the molecular level and are discussed in terms of their implications for its technical integration into the sulphur-based solar-aided thermochemical cycle.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics is a peer-reviewed journal published since 1999 by the Royal Society of Chemistry and co-owned by 19 physical chemistry and physics societies from around the world. The focus of the journal is on high-quality research in physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry.