Researchers at the Gas Technology Institute, in partnership with Ion Beam Applications (IBA) Industrial Inc. and the State University of New York (SUNY), will develop a direct electron beam (E-beam) synthesis (DEBS) process to produce valuable chemicals such as acetic acid, methanol, and carbon monoxide using carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from a coal-fired power plant and methane (natural gas). Current technology for the commercial production of acetic acid, methanol, and carbon monoxide requires high temperatures and pressures, and expensive catalysts in multiple process steps that lead to high capital and operating costs. The DEBS process uses high-energy electron beams to break chemical bonds, allowing production of the desired chemicals at near-ambient pressure and temperatures and has been demonstrated by other research groups at bench-scale. This project will expand on the concept of DEBS to develop a commercially viable process that will minimize E-beam energy requirements and selectively control the yield of more valuable products while maximizing CO2 conversion. The team will construct a reactor and skid and run parametric tests using IBA’s E-beam accelerator. A kinetic model will be developed by SUNY based on the collected data and will be used to predict the chemical performance of the DEBS process. Selective catalysts will also be tested to identify those that when combined with the DEBS process are effective in achieving specific selectivity to desired products and in reducing the overall energy requirements. Additionally, a conceptual design for coupling the DEBS process to a coal-fired power plant will be developed.