{"id":144029,"date":"2024-05-17T07:29:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T05:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=144029"},"modified":"2024-05-14T12:57:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T10:57:46","slug":"sugar-based-catalyst-upcycles-carbon-dioxide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/sugar-based-catalyst-upcycles-carbon-dioxide\/","title":{"rendered":"Sugar-based catalyst upcycles carbon dioxide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>New catalyst is made from an inexpensive, abundant metal and table sugar<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Catalyst converts carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>) into carbon monoxide, a building block for producing a variety of useful chemicals<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Catalyst selectively converts CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;and is stable enough to last for 500 hours without degrading<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schematic of the process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-144056\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7902097902097902;width:719px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41-400x224.png 400w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2024\/05\/Bildschirmfoto-2024-05-10-um-16.00.41.png 1465w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 Schematic by Milad Khoshooei\/Northwestern University<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>A new catalyst made from an inexpensive, abundant metal and common table sugar has the power to destroy carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>) gas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In a new Northwestern University study, the catalyst successfully converted CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;into carbon monoxide (CO), an important building block to produce a variety of useful chemicals. When the reaction occurs in the presence of hydrogen, for example, CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;and hydrogen transform into synthesis gas (or syngas), a highly valuable precursor to producing fuels that can potentially replace gasoline.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With recent advances in carbon capture technologies, post-combustion carbon capture is becoming a plausible option to help tackle the global climate change crisis. But how to handle the captured carbon remains an open-ended question. The new catalyst potentially could provide one solution for disposing the potent greenhouse gas by converting it into a more valuable product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"accessible-text\"><strong>The&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adl1260\" target=\"_blank\">study will be published<\/a>&nbsp;in the May 3 issue of the journal <em>Science<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cEven if we stopped emitting CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;now, our atmosphere would still have a surplus of CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;as a result of industrial activities from the past centuries,\u201d said <strong>Northwestern\u2019s&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.northwestern.edu\/omarkfarha\/group-members-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">Milad Khoshooei<\/a><\/strong>, who co-led the study. \u201cThere is no single solution to this problem. We need to reduce CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;<em>and<\/em>&nbsp;find new ways to decrease the CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;concentration that is already in the atmosphere. We should take advantage of all possible solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not the first research group to convert CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;into another product,\u201d said Northwestern\u2019s&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.northwestern.edu\/omarkfarha\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Omar K. Farha<\/strong><\/a>, the study\u2019s senior author. \u201cHowever, for the process to be truly practical, it necessitates a catalyst that fulfills several crucial criteria: affordability, stability, ease of production and scalability. Balancing these four elements is key. Fortunately, our material excels in meeting these requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>An expert in carbon capture technologies, Farha is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern\u2019s&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/weinberg.northwestern.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.<\/a>&nbsp;After starting this work as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Calgary in Canada, Khoshooei now is a postdoctoral fellow in Farha\u2019s laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Solutions from the pantry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The secret behind the new catalyst is molybdenum carbide, an extremely hard ceramic material. Unlike many other catalysts that require expensive metals, such as platinum or palladium, molybdenum is an inexpensive, non-precious, Earth-abundant metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To transform molybdenum into molybdenum carbide, the scientists needed a source of carbon. They discovered a cheap option in an unexpected place: the pantry. Surprisingly, sugar \u2014 the white, granulated kind found in nearly every household \u2014 served as an inexpensive, convenient source of carbon atoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cEvery day that I tried to synthesize these materials, I would bring sugar to the lab from my home,\u201d <strong>Khoshooei<\/strong> said. \u201cWhen compared to other classes of materials commonly used for catalysts, ours is incredibly inexpensive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Successfully selective and stable<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When testing the catalyst, Farha, Khoshooei and their collaborators were impressed by its success. Operating at ambient pressures and high temperatures (300-600 degrees Celsius), the catalyst converted CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;into CO with 100% selectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High selectivity means that the catalyst acted only on the CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;without disrupting surrounding materials. In other words, industry could apply the catalyst to large volumes of captured gases and selectively target only the CO<sub>2<\/sub>. The catalyst also remained stable over time, meaning that it stayed active and did not degrade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIn chemistry, it\u2019s not uncommon for a catalyst to lose its selectivity after a few hours,\u201d <strong>Farha<\/strong> said. \u201cBut, after 500 hours in harsh conditions, its selectivity did not change.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This is particularly remarkable because CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;is a stable \u2014 and stubborn \u2014 molecule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cConverting CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;is not easy,\u201d <strong>Khoshooei<\/strong> said. \u201cCO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;is a chemically stable molecule, and we had to overcome that stability, which takes a lot of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tandem approach to carbon clean-up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Developing materials for carbon capture is a major focus of Farha\u2019s laboratory. His group develops metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of highly porous, nano-sized materials that Farha likens to \u201csophisticated and programmable bath sponges.\u201d Farha explores MOFs for diverse applications, including pulling CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;directly from the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Farha says MOFs and the new catalyst could work together to play a role in carbon capture and sequestration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;At some point, we could employ a MOF to capture CO<sub>2<\/sub>, followed by a catalyst converting it into something more beneficial,&#8221; <strong>Farha <\/strong>suggested. &#8220;A tandem system utilizing two distinct materials for two sequential steps could be the way forward.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis could help us answer the question: \u2018What do we do with captured CO<sub>2<\/sub>?\u2019\u201d <strong>Khoshooei<\/strong> added. \u201cRight now, the plan is to sequester it underground. But underground reservoirs must meet many requirements in order to safely and permanently store CO<sub>2<\/sub>. We wanted to design a more universal solution that can be used anywhere while adding economic value.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Farha is a member of the&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iinano.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">International Institute for Nanotechology<\/a>&nbsp;and a faculty affiliate of the&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/trienens-institute.northwestern.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adl1260\">An active, stable cubic molybdenum carbide catalyst for the high-temperature reverse water-gas shift reaction<\/a>,\u201d was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nuwildcat.sharepoint.com\/:i:\/s\/OGMC-MediaRelations\/ES9MVP8KI2BNsx_te4g5DJkB-Fna2RQ1IkK53r8vUzKW4w?e=9YjDmz\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interview the Experts<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.northwestern.edu\/assets\/Uploads\/Omar2017-r3r0ip__FocusFillWzEzNywxNzEsIngiLDYwXQ.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.northwestern.edu\/omarkfarha\/\">Omar Farha<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Senior author<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>E-Mail: <a>o-farha@northwestern.edu<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:9px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Schematic of the process A new catalyst made from an inexpensive, abundant metal and common table sugar has the power to destroy carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. In a new Northwestern University study, the catalyst successfully converted CO2&nbsp;into carbon monoxide (CO), an important building block to produce a variety of useful chemicals. When the reaction occurs [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":144059,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"New catalyst could offer a potential solution for using captured carbon","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572,5571],"tags":[22541,10744,15152,10416,12450,10743],"supplier":[3930],"class_list":["post-144029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","category-co2-based","tag-buildingblock","tag-carboncapture","tag-catalyst","tag-circulareconomy","tag-syngas","tag-useco2","supplier-northwestern-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144029"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=144029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}