Research new compounds that help turn CO2 into clean energy

Scientists have studied a compound that can turn carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) into carbon monoxide (CO), a precursor to creating a clean energy, without creating extra byproducts.

In the study published in Science Advances, this substance is described as a mixture of metal and organic, porous and crystal-like structures.

When exposed to visible light, it can convert CO ₂ into CO. The CO can then be converted into liquid fuel, solvents and other useful products.

There are many methods to reduce CO ₂ to CO, but the previous methods have created difficult-to-treat by-products such as H ₂ or methane (CH ₄ ).

When exposed to visible light, it can convert CO2 into CO.

Therefore, this study marks an important step in the production of fuels and other energy-rich products, using solar-powered catalysts, and can help reduce emissions. Greenhouse effect without creating by-products.

The study was jointly researched by Berkeley Laboratory of the US Department of Energy in Northern California and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

At the Berkeley Laboratory, the scientists decayed nickel precursors in the solution of trimethylene glycol (C ₆ H ₁₄ O ₄ ) and then exposed infrared laser beams without focusing on the solution.

This stimulates the chain reaction in the solution when the metal in the solution absorbs light. The reaction forms on an organic and metal mixture.

In particular, this mixture will change if the wavelength of infrared rays is changed, so this is called a light activation reaction.

Meanwhile, at NTU, the mixture was put into a CO2-filled gas tank.

With modern measurement methods, scientists said that every hour at normal temperature, each gram of the compound could produce 400 ml of CO.

The finding is thought to be an initiative to create alternative sources of energy for fossil fuels, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions - the cause of global warming.