Catalysts found to convert carbon dioxide to fuel

Date:
October 6, 2021
Source:
Queensland University of Technology
Summary:
The goal of tackling global warming by turning carbon dioxide into
fuel could be one step closer with researchers using a supercomputer
to identify a group of 'single-atom' catalysts that could play a
key role.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The goal of tackling global warming by turning carbon dioxide into
fuel could be one step closer with researchers using a supercomputer to identify a group of "single-atom" catalysts that could play a key role.


========================================================================== Researchers from QUT's Centre for Materials Science, led by Associate
Professor Liangzhi Kou, were part of an international study that used theoretical modelling to identify six metals (nickel, niobium, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, zirconium) that were found to be effective in a reaction
that can convert carbon dioxide into sustainable and clean energy sources.

The study published in Nature Communications involved QUT researchers
Professor Aijun Du, Professor Yuantong Gu and Dr Lin Ju.

Professor Kou said the research was conducted by modelling the experiments using the National Computational Infrastructure at the Australian National University, looking at how single atoms of the metals would react with
two- dimensional pieces of "ferroelectric" materials.

Ferroelectric materials have a positive charge on one face, and negative
charge on another, and this polarization can be reversed when a voltage
is applied.

In the theoretical modelling, the researchers found that adding the
atom of the catalyst metal to the ferroelectric material resulted in
converting the greenhouse gas into a desired chemical fuel.



==========================================================================
Once the polarity is reversed, the state will be preserved to act as a
catalyst in converting the carbon dioxide.

Professor Kou said while single-atom catalysts to be used in reducing
carbon dioxide was proposed a decade ago, this research takes the field
forward significantly.

"We have designed a special chemical catalyst, it can convert the
greenhouse gas CO2 into the desired chemical fuels. The conversion
efficiency can be controlled using a feasible approach," Professor
Kou said.

"It means we for the first time developed the abilities to speed up or
slow down, even switch of the chemical reaction.

"Carbon dioxide is the main reason of global warming due to the greenhouse effect, to convert it into the chemical fuels is not only important for
our environments, but also helpful to solve the energy crisis." Dr Ju,
first author on the study, said the research work provided a guidance
for the design of novel catalysts which could produce significant impacts
for the chemical industry.

Professor Kou said the long-term goal in this area of research was to
find ways to turning carbon dioxide into clean energy sources.

Professor Kou said the results of this study could eventually lead to
a way of adding a coating to engines or industrial systems that would
convert carbon dioxide instead of releasing more of the gas into the atmosphere.

The QUT researchers are from the School of Mechanical, Medical and
Process Engineering, and School of Chemistry and Physics.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Queensland_University_of_Technology. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. lin Ju, Xin Tan, Xin Mao, Yuantong Gu, Sean Smith, Aijun Du,
Zhongfang
Chen,changfeng Chen & Liangzhi Kou. Controllable CO2
electrocatalytic reduction via ferroelectric switching on single
atom anchored In2Se3 monolayer. Nature Communications, 2021 DOI:
10.1038/s41467-021-25426-5 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211006112715.htm

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