Chinese researchers develop copper, gold and silver catalyst for carbon capture and use

March 16, 2022 |

In China, chemists have developed a nano-scale structure that combines copper, gold and silver to work as a superior catalyst in a chemical reaction whose improved performance will be essential if carbon capture and utilization efforts are to succeed in helping to mitigate global warming. 

One possible means of carbon-capture-and-utilization is via a chemical reaction called the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR, or simply ECR). This uses electricity to power the conversion of the gas into other usable substances by separating CO2’s carbon atoms from its oxygen atoms. Water can also provide hydrogen “donors” in some varieties of ECR whereby the carbon atoms are combined with hydrogen to produce various species of hydrocarbons or alcohols.

Key to ECR is using the right catalyst, or chemical substance whose structure and charge enables it to kick off or speed up a chemical reaction. Various different metals have been used as catalysts depending on which end product is desired. Catalysts employing just one type of metal include tin to produce formic acid, silver for carbon monoxide (CO), and copper for methane, ethylene or ethanol.

Category: Research

Thank you for visting the Digest.