Researchers design catalyst that turns CO2 into green fuel

The University of Nottingham worked with an international team of researchers to develop a new form of carbon nitride

AN INTERNATIONAL research team has developed a copper-based material that can turn CO2 into methanol using sunlight.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School of Chemistry joined forces with the University of Birmingham, and universities in Australia and Germany to create a new form of carbon nitride, a metal-free semiconductor that can efficiently facilitate the photocatalysis process that turns CO2 into green fuel.

Photocatalysis can be used to capture and store solar energy to produce fuels like hydrogen, methane, syngas, and methanol. However, research into photocatalytic CO2 reduction has shown that the process faces challenges in producing clearer reaction results and product selectivity. 

Using extreme heat, the team formed nanoscale domains of graphitic carbon nitride, a photocatalyst that has applications in medicine and water treatment, and created nanocrystalline carbon nitride.

Taking it a step further, the team added atomic copper to the new material by depositing it in a solventless process. The researchers found that the addition of copper increased the efficiency for photocatalysis.

The chemical industry is a major producer of CO2, emitting around 925m t/y in 2021. Reusing CO2 as feedstock in chemical production, known as CO2 valorisation, may help the industry rely less on fossil fuel sources and meet its decarbonisation goals.

Valorisation can be used to develop renewable methanol, which can cut CO2 emissions by 95% compared to conventional fuels.