New tech turns CO2 into chemicals with 93% efficiency, runs record 5000 hrs
CO2 conversion systems have not worked reliably to be scaled up into industrial-scale projects, but that is set for change now.
Researchers at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China, have found a reliable way to fix carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere into useful chemical products, which scientists call a ‘milestone’ achievement, the South China Morning Post reported.
As the world looks to clean up the planet’s warming carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere, multiple approaches are being tested in laboratories where the gas can be converted into useful products such as methanol, ethanol, alkanes, or olefins. However, the approach to such conversion systems has a major drawback. They can only work for a hundred hours, making them unsuitable for large-scale operations.
Scientists use electrochemical methods in these conversion systems, where an electric charge is applied to change a chemical’s properties. For instance, the process involves breaking the chemical bonds between carbon dioxide molecules and adding elements like hydrogen to the mix to produce hydrocarbons such as ethanols or formic acid.
