Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts that favor high-value alcohols is desired.
A research team led by professor YU Shuhong from University of Science and Technology of China of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Edward H. Sargent from University of Toronto has uncovered a catalysis strategy intermediates during CO2&nbsp;electrochemical reduction reaction, which sheds new lights on upgrading CO2&nbsp;to engine fuels.
When it comes to designing catalysts for CO2&nbsp;conversion, many researches on the C-C coupling step have been done; while little attention has been paid to post-C-C coupling reaction.
By deliberately incorporating sulfur atoms into the catalyst core and copper vacancies in its shell, researchers realized Cu2S-Cu-V core-shell nanoparticles that enhance CO2&nbsp;reduction to ethanol and propanol. Structural characterization, x-ray studies, and electrochemical measurements were utilized to illustrate how good this new catalyst is in improving catalytic performance.
This discovery will inspire the design of efficient catalysts that produce higher-carbon liquid alcohols. In addition to address the need for long-term storage of renewable electricity and decarbonization of the transportation sector via electrocatalytic reduction of CO2&nbsp;to chemical feedstocks. And the results were published in&nbsp;Nature Catalysis&nbsp;on Jun 11th.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Core/shell-vacancy engineering (CSVE) catalyst enables efficiently electrochemically reducing CO2 to multi-carbon alcohols.

2018/06/USTC_15302943535843_largethumb.jpg

2018/06/USTC_15302943535843_thumb.jpg

2018/06/USTC_15302943535843.jpg

A research team has uncovered a catalysis strategy intermediates during CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction, which sheds new lights on upgrading CO2 to engine fuels, such as ethanol and n-propanol. 

New catalyst upgrades carbon dioxide to fuels found by USTC

Related Stories

DevvStream, Southern, and Frontline BioEnergy to advance biomass-to-jet development and environmental-asset monetization

Neste reports increased renewable diesel, SAF sales volumes for Q4

Eni and Q8 partner for the construction of the Priolo biorefinery

Valero reports record high ethanol production, profitable Q4 for biobased diesel

XCF Global, Southern Energy Renewables and DevvStream agree to binding term sheet for 3-party merger

Upcoming Events

2026 International Biomass Conference & Expo

New catalyst upgrades carbon dioxide to fuels found by USTC.css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}