Produce 'gasoline' from CO2 and sunlight

New technology from US scientists can help create a new fuel for " photosynthetic " cars from carbon dioxide and solar energy.

Solar reactions can produce carbon monoxide (CO) from carbon dioxide . Similar reactions can also be used to turn water into hydrogen and oxygen. These created substances can then react together with the catalyst to produce hydrocarbon fuel according to a technology called Fischer-Tropsch .

Machine to produce " gasoline " from CO2 and solar energy in the state of New Mexico, USA.
(Photo: Telegraph).

This type of mixed fuel is similar to the fuels being used for today's cars. If this new fuel is created entirely from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, this will significantly reduce air pollution because CO2 will be turned into a cycle.

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, have created a system that includes a CR5 engine, capable of taking CO ₂ emissions from power plants . In the future, scientists hope to get CO2 directly from the air.

In addition, the system also uses a giant spherical mirror to collect solar energy into two containers separated by cerium oxide rings.

When these rings rotate they create a temperature of 1,500 degrees Celsius and release oxygen into one of the containers. Thereafter, the cerium oxide rings that removed oxygen were transferred to another container containing CO ₂ . Reaction between cerium oxide rings and CO ₂ helps to produce CO.

From the products obtained scientists will combine to create hydrocarbon fuels.

Previously, another research group of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology used a similar system but used calcium oxide, zinc oxide and steam to produce hydrogen gas and CO . The advantage of Swiss scientists is that CO2 can be used in the air.

However, currently both systems are facing problems. The group system in New Mexico only works for a few seconds at a time, while the version of the science group from Switzerland only has a very small capacity of about 10 Kw. Therefore, both systems need to be studied to improve if they are to be applied in practice.

' Creating clean fuels from solar energy is a promising way to help ensure the world's energy resources and reduce CO2 ,' said Dr. Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institute at Stanford University (USA). affirmed.