24 hrs to 15 mins: Scientists turn CO2 pollution into fuel at record speed
Researchers have long been exploring ways to convert CO2 into valuable chemicals.
The race toward carbon neutrality demands bold innovation.
Carbon dioxide, the primary culprit in climate change, is a global challenge.
Researchers have long been exploring ways to convert CO2 into valuable chemicals. One of the most promising is carbon monoxide (CO), which is a “key precursor” for creating synthetic fuels.
Existing CO2-to-CO conversion techniques suffer from costly materials, instability, low efficiency, and long processing durations (around 24 hours).
But now, researchers at Tohoku University, Hokkaido University, and AZUL Energy have enhanced this process, slashing the 24-hour processing time to just 15 minutes.
“CO2-to-CO conversion is currently a hot topic to address climate change, but the conventional techniques had major pitfalls that we wanted to address,” said Liu Tengyi (WPI-AIMR at Tohoku University).
“The materials were expensive, unstable, had limited selectivity, and took a long time to prepare. It just wouldn’t be feasible to use them in an actual industrial setting,” Tengyi added.
CO2 conversion method
The existing conversion methods involved a complex and time-consuming 24-hour process that included mixing conductive carbon with binders, followed by drying and heat treatment.
The researchers devised an ingenious, streamlined method utilizing easily accessible and inexpensive phthalocyanines (Pcs) – organic compounds used as pigments and dyes.
For enhanced CO2-to-CO conversion, the team tested metal-free and metal-containing Pcs versions (iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper).