Scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a catalyst that is able to convert CO2 into ethanol. Using some electricity the CO2 is catalytically converted to ethanol. The catalyst is made of copper and carbon particles. Normally a chain of reactions would be needed, but this catalyst is rather selective and has a high conversion.
Scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a catalyst that is able to convert CO2 into ethanol. Using some electricity the CO2 is catalytically converted to ethanol. The catalyst is made of copper and carbon particles. Normally a chain of reactions would be needed, but this catalyst is rather selective and has a high conversion.
Further development is needed, but this technology could be used to convert excess energy into ethanol that could be utilized later. The catalyst basically inverses the combustion process and has a yield of 63% ethanol. The key point why the catalyst works, is the arrangement and the structure of the catalytically active sites.