![\"From](\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/08\/28a27f6bc11ff97103ca8adfdbca28cd.png\")
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced on the 9th that a research team led by senior researcher Dahye Won and principal researcher Woong Lee at the Clean Energy Research Center, in collaboration with a team led by Professor Chanwoo Lee in the Department of Chemistry at Kookmin University, has developed an integrated process that electrochemically converts captured carbon dioxide directly, without any separate separation, purification or compression steps, to produce high\u2011purity formic acid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conventional carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies require that captured carbon dioxide be separated, purified and compressed as a gas, which consumes substantial energy and cost. Technologies that directly use the capture solution are being developed, but most of them focus on producing gaseous products such as carbon monoxide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research team produced liquid chemical products using a technology that directly utilizes the capture solution. They supplied a triethylamine capture solution, used for capturing carbon dioxide, directly to an electrochemical reactor and applied a tin\u2013copper catalyst to convert 94% of the captured carbon dioxide into formate. This process maintained stable reaction performance for more than 100 hours. <\/p>\n\n\n
![\"Integrated](\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/08\/74457f32f7c9a5a38a0d03fec553af7c.jpg\")
Integrated process that electrochemically converts captured carbon dioxide to produce high\u2011purity formic acid. Provided by KIST<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research team\u2019s formate conversion process produced formic acid with up to 98% purity. The capture agent can be recovered and reused. According to an economic analysis, the production cost of formic acid is about 410 dollars (about 580,000 won) per ton, nearly half the current market price. The greenhouse gas impact was found to be reduced by 31.1% compared with conventional processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team\u2019s technology can be applied at industrial sites that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, such as power plants, steel mills, and cement and petrochemical plants. Because captured carbon dioxide can be immediately converted into chemical feedstock, the overall process can be simplified. When combined with renewable energy, it is expected to enable the replacement of conventional fossil\u2011fuel\u2011based formic acid production with a low\u2011carbon electrochemical process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Won, the senior researcher, said, “This study is significant in that we produced high\u2011purity liquid chemical products suitable for industrial use by electrochemically converting captured carbon dioxide without re\u2011separating it into a gas,” adding, “We expect it will serve as an opportunity to expand simultaneous CO2 capture and conversion technologies, which have focused mainly on gaseous products, to liquid chemical products.”\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lee, the principal researcher, said, “Going forward, we will enhance industrial applicability through process validation using actual industrial flue gases, scale\u2011up of the reactor, and demonstration of long\u2011term continuous operation.” The research results were published online in April in the international journal Joule and featured as a cover article in August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n