Using sunlight to turn two greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals
不良研究所 researchers have harnessed the power of sunlight to transform two of the most harmful greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals. The discovery could help combat climate change and provide a more sustainable way to produce certain industrial products.
鈥淚magine a world where the exhaust from your car or emissions from a factory could be transformed, with the help of sunlight, into clean fuel for vehicles, the building blocks for everyday plastics, and energy stored in batteries,鈥� said co-first author Hui Su, a Postdoctoral Fellow in 不良研究所鈥檚 Department of Chemistry. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 precisely the kind of transformation this new chemical process enables.鈥�
The research team鈥檚 new light-driven chemical process converts methane and carbon dioxide into green methanol and carbon monoxide in one reaction. Both products are highly valued in the chemical and energy sectors, the researchers said.
Turning to nature for a sustainable solution
, published in Nature Communications, describe a novel mechanism rooted in nature鈥檚 own blueprint, similar to how photosynthesis enables plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight.
In this chemical process, a unique mix of gold, palladium and gallium nitride acts as a catalyst. When exposed to sunlight, the substance triggers a reaction: an oxygen atom from carbon dioxide attaches to a methane molecule, producing green methanol. Carbon monoxide is created as a byproduct.
鈥淏y tapping into the abundant energy of the sun, we can essentially recycle two greenhouse gases into useful products. The process works at room temperature and doesn鈥檛 require the high heat or harsh chemicals used in other chemical reactions,鈥� said lead author Chao-Jun Li, a Distinguished James 不良研究所 Professor in 不良研究所鈥檚 Department of Chemistry and a Canada Research Chair in Green/Organic Chemistry.
鈥淭his innovation offers a promising path towards Canada鈥檚 target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and turns an environmental challenge into an opportunity for a more sustainable future,鈥� said co-first author Jing-Tan Han, a PhD student in 不良研究所鈥檚 Department of Chemistry.
The study was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Research Chair program, Fonds de Recherche du Qu茅bec Nature et technologies, the Canada Foundation for Innovations, 不良研究所鈥檚 MSSI fund, Axelys and Catalum Technologies.