A new step in the production of gasoline from CO2

This is a great idea of ​​a 'win-win' model because this process can both reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and produce environmentally friendly biofuels.

Turn CO2 emissions into gasoline

The development of industries on the one hand is a lever to help mankind move on the other, leaving behind bad consequences, typically an increase in CO2 causing a greenhouse effect. There have been many simple measures from planting green trees to promoting environmentally friendly industries.

Emissions from industry are a problem

In the past few years, scientists have put a lot of interest in the idea of converting CO2 into methanol. This is a great idea of ​​a 'win-win' model because this process can both reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and produce environmentally friendly biofuels . However, so far no technology process has been able to achieve significant conversion efficiency.

Scientists at Argonne National Energy Laboratory are focusing on developing a new type of copper material that could make the technology of converting CO2 into methanol more efficient, can be applied to practice.

This new material is called Dong Tetramer. According to scientists, new materials 'include small clusters formed from 4 copper atoms on a thin film of aluminum oxide'. They will act as catalysts for the reaction to convert CO2 into methanol. CO2 molecules will be able to bind to these copper atom clusters and 'they will be oriented in an ideal way for chemical reactions to take place'.

4 copper atoms form clusters on the aluminum oxide layer

This new model achieves significantly higher performance than industrial processes now using catalysts from copper, zinc oxide and aluminum oxide catalysts. In the old model some atoms of substances play only the role of keeping the compound stable together. Meanwhile with the Tetramer Copper model all copper atoms can join in catalyzing the reaction. They are able to easily bond with CO2 molecules, so there is no need for a high pressure for the process and reduced energy consumption.

So far, technology with this new material is still in the testing phase. In laboratory conditions, only material samples in nanometer size are created. Scientists will need to deploy them on a larger scale. At the same time, research direction will also open new opportunities to find more effective catalysts than Dong Tetramer.

In the future, when the tests are successful and applied in practice, this will be one of the most effective technologies to help solve the greenhouse gas problem for mankind. However, while waiting for these great and promising technologies, we should minimize the amount of CO2 emitted into the air by all possible measures for a sustainable future.