CO2 methanation using plasma catalysis

An apparatus for forming methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen, the apparatus comprising:

• a dielectric barrier discharge, DBD, device arranged to generate a plasma;
• and
• a passageway having an inlet for the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen and an outlet for the methane and including therein a catalyst comprising nickel on a surface of a support comprising alumina, wherein the catalyst comprises nickel particles having a mean particle diameter in a range from 1 nm to 10 nm and wherein the catalyst comprises manganese in a range from 0.01 to 10 wt. % by weight of the alumina support,
• wherein the passageway extends, at least in part, through the DBD device wherein, in use, the carbon dioxide is exposed to the catalyst in the presence of the hydrogen in the generated plasma, thereby forming the methane from at least some of the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen.