Abu Dhabi: Abdul Rahman Saeed
A research team from Khalifa University of Science and Technology, New York University in Abu Dhabi and the National Institute of Chemistry in Slovenia has developed a new structure consisting of gold nanoparticles embedded in “polythialexarin” with the aim of converting carbon dioxide gas into materials that can be used using natural light rays. Khalifa University Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and a member of the Center for Separation and Stimulation at the University, has developed an effective material that contributes to reducing the negative environmental impacts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
There are many processes needed to convert carbon dioxide emissions into industrial chemicals, and photocatalysts are also available, which is also a promising method in the future in the field of reducing these emissions, but why rely on photosynthesis?, Plants convert carbon dioxide And water into carbohydrates in ambient conditions using sunlight, which is a renewable energy source and safe for the environment.
Excessive emissions of carbon dioxide, caused by humans, have led to the emergence of the problem of global warming, and since carbon dioxide is a non-toxic gas, inexpensive from an economic point of view, abundant in the surrounding environment and a reusable source, it can be utilized and converted into highly effective materials. As valuable as plastics, paints, solvents and fuel cells, it is an economically viable resource.
Dr Dinesh said: “We have used many classes of materials as effective enhancers for metallic nanoparticles with the aim of producing stable, sustainable and heterogeneous catalysts, meaning they cannot form clumps and can be recycled, but these promoters have not been successful because they have many disadvantages attributed to activated carbon. Which in turn led to the formation of lumps at high temperatures.”
He added: “Mino-organic structures contain metallic bonds that limit practical applications. For example, zeolite material consists of micropores that are able to effectively control the evolution of the metal nanoparticle, but at the same time prevent the access of reactants, while organic porous polymers are effective at the chemical level. It has a low structural density and a large pore size that contributes to facilitating the transfer of reactants in large quantities.”
The research team agreed to study gold nanoparticles due to their effectiveness in absorbing light, and they were used in the field of carbon dioxide reduction with photocatalysts and other materials.