Scientists Accidentally Found A Method That Converts CO2 Into Ethanol
Scientists Accidentally Found A Method That Converts CO2 Into Ethanol Technology Conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide into fuel at an industrial scale can actually change the present scenario of pollution in the world. The highest level of atmospheric CO2 in 4 million years was reported in the last month. It seemed that there is no solution for decreasing the level of CO2 in the atmosphere and dropping to a safe level again. A recent discovery has given hope that the atmospheric CO2 can turn into fuel. Let’s check out the method that can turn CO2 into ethanol. Recommended story: Can you believe a company that makes ink and paint from air pollution?
Researchers have developed a process that can turn CO2 into ethanol.
The conversion can be achieved with the help of a single catalyst.
Adam Rondinone and his colleagues made a catalyst using carbon, copper and nitrogen.
They implanted copper nanoparticles into nitrogen-laced carbon spikes measuring just 50-80 nanometers tall.
Reaction began on applying electric current of 1.2 volts.
The catalyst successfully turned the solution of water containing CO2 into ethanol with a yield of 63%.
This surprising result was obtained accidentally.
Adam Rondinone, from the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory explained, "We
discovered somewhat by accident that this material worked. We were trying to study the first step of a proposed reaction when we realised that the catalyst was doing the entire reaction on its own."
This effective reaction was accomplished by reversing the combustion process with less electricity.
Scientists were expecting to get less desired chemical methanol as the end product but ended up getting ethanol.
Generally, this type of electrochemical reaction yields several different products in small amounts.
Some of these low demand products include methane, ethylene and carbon monoxide.
The US needs billions of gallons of ethanol to add to gasoline every year.
Ethanol is proposed as a renewable clean-burning additive to gasoline. It is added to gasoline in order to reduce
carbon emissions as per the Energy Policy Act and Renewable Fuels Standard.
It was a great surprise for the team to get ethanol as the end-product.
Rondinone said in a press statement, "We’re taking carbon dioxide, a waste product of combustion, and we’re pushing that combustion reaction backwards with very high selectivity to a useful fuel. Ethanol was a surprise it’s extremely difficult to go straight from carbon dioxide to ethanol with a single catalyst."
Several attempts were made previously to convert CO2 into usable product.
Researchers around the world have been searching for methods to turn CO2 into methanol, formate and hydrocarbon fuel.
A team in Iceland is working to convert CO2 into solid rock.
According to the researchers, such high yields of ethanol were obtained due to nanostructure of catalyst. Rondinone explained, "By using common materials, but arranging them with nanotechnology, we figured out how to limit the side reactions and end up with the one thing that we want. They are like 50-nanometre lightning rods that concentrate electrochemical reactivity at the tip of the spike."
The catalyst works at room temperature with little electrical requirements.
While there are many CO2 conversion projects that have given positive results in the laboratory, it would be too early to say anything about the actual results in the field.
Let’s hope that the researchers succeed in getting similar results in the field as well.
Rondinone stated, "A process like this would allow you to consume extra electricity when it’s available to make and store as ethanol. This could help to balance a grid supplied by intermittent renewable sources."
Researchers have developed a process that can turn CO2 into ethanol.
The conversion can be achieved with the help of a single catalyst.
Adam Rondinone and his colleagues made a catalyst using carbon, copper and nitrogen.
They implanted copper nanoparticles into nitrogen-laced carbon spikes measuring just 50-80 nanometers tall.
Reaction began on applying electric current of 1.2 volts.
The catalyst successfully turned the solution of water containing CO2 into ethanol with a yield of 63%.
This surprising result was obtained accidentally.
Adam Rondinone, from the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory explained, "We
discovered somewhat by accident that this material worked. We were trying to study the first step of a proposed reaction when we realised that the catalyst was doing the entire reaction on its own."
This effective reaction was accomplished by reversing the combustion process with less electricity.
Scientists were expecting to get less desired chemical methanol as the end product but ended up getting ethanol.
Generally, this type of electrochemical reaction yields several different products in small amounts.
Some of these low demand products include methane, ethylene and carbon monoxide.
The US needs billions of gallons of ethanol to add to gasoline every year.
Ethanol is proposed as a renewable clean-burning additive to gasoline. It is added to gasoline in order to reduce
carbon emissions as per the Energy Policy Act and Renewable Fuels Standard.
It was a great surprise for the team to get ethanol as the end-product.
Rondinone said in a press statement, "We’re taking carbon dioxide, a waste product of combustion, and we’re pushing that combustion reaction backwards with very high selectivity to a useful fuel. Ethanol was a surprise it’s extremely difficult to go straight from carbon dioxide to ethanol with a single catalyst."
Several attempts were made previously to convert CO2 into usable product.
Researchers around the world have been searching for methods to turn CO2 into methanol, formate and hydrocarbon fuel.
A team in Iceland is working to convert CO2 into solid rock.
According to the researchers, such high yields of ethanol were obtained due to nanostructure of catalyst. Rondinone explained, "By using common materials, but arranging them with nanotechnology, we figured out how to limit the side reactions and end up with the one thing that we want. They are like 50-nanometre lightning rods that concentrate electrochemical reactivity at the tip of the spike."
The catalyst works at room temperature with little electrical requirements.
While there are many CO2 conversion projects that have given positive results in the laboratory, it would be too early to say anything about the actual results in the field.
Let’s hope that the researchers succeed in getting similar results in the field as well.
Rondinone stated, "A process like this would allow you to consume extra electricity when it’s available to make and store as ethanol. This could help to balance a grid supplied by intermittent renewable sources."
