Technology breakthrough in the fight to cut greenhouse gases

Newcastle University scientists are opening a breakthrough technology in the struggle to cut greenhouse gases. The research team at Newcastle University led by Professor Professor of Organic Chemistry Michael North invented a highly effective method of energy conversion of excess CO2 into chemical compounds called cyclic carbonates.

The research team has estimated that this technology will have the potential to employ up to 48 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted each year, reducing the UK's CO ₂ emissions by about 4%.

Cyclic carbonates are widely used in the manufacture of products including solvents, paint remover, biodegradable packaging as well as other applications in the chemical industry. Cyclic carbonates also have the potential to be used to produce a new class of effective anti-collision agents in gasoline. Anti-shock agents help gasoline burn better, increase its usefulness and reduce CO2 emissions.

This conversion technique depends on the use of a catalyst to strongly influence the chemical reaction between CO ₂ and epoxides, converting CO ₂ emissions into a very important cyclic carbonate - chemical compound. important in commercial requirements.

The reaction between CO2 and epoxides is very common but still needs a lot of energy, high temperatures and high pressures to carry out the task so far. The current process also requires the use of ultra-pure CO ₂ - a very expensive gas when produced.

The University of Newcastle research team has succeeded in inventing a particularly versatile catalyst, derived from aluminum that can make the reaction necessary to convert CO2 emissions into pressure cyclic carbonates. air and temperature in the lab, this helps to reduce a lot of energy to be included.

Newcastle University scientists are opening a breakthrough technology in the struggle to cut greenhouse gases.(Photo: iStockphoto / Jaap Hart)

Professor North said: "One of the main challenges of science in dealing with humanity in the 21st century is the control of global warming due to increasing levels of CO ₂ emissions in the air. The solution to this problem now receiving a lot of serious consideration is the collection and storage of CO ₂ - a problem involving concentrating and compressing CO ₂ and then storing it. Long-term storage still needs to be further demonstrated. '

So far, alternative solutions to convert CO2 emissions into a useful product require a process that is so energy-intensive that they produce more CO2 than they consume.

Professor North compares the process done by his team with the process of a catalytic converter attached to a car. 'If our catalyst could be used as a source for high concentration CO ₂ production, for example in the exhaust stream of a fossil fuel station, we could get CO gas,' he said. ₂ , turn it into a commercially valuable product and eliminate the need for CO ₂ emissions'.

Professor North believes that one day when fully developed, technology will have the potential to utilize a large amount of UK CO2 emissions each year.

'To meet the current market for cyclic carbonates, we estimate that our technology can use up to 18 million tons of CO ₂ emissions per year, and more than 30 million tons of emissions if It is applied as a shockproof agent. "

Professor North explains, 'Using 48 million tons of CO2 emissions will account for about 4% * of UK CO2 emissions, which is a positive contribution. This technology has been proven to work successfully in the laboratory. " Currently Professor North and his research team are conducting further research into the laboratory to optimize the efficiency of technology. Then they plan to upgrade to a pilot plant.

* Based on 2004 data from the United Nations

Article 'The synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 air pressure by using special flexible aluminum complexes as catalysts' is published in the European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. ).

The project is funded by the Council for Physics and Engineering Research.