2023-06-23 15:30:59
CO2 and plastic waste are two enemies against which we have declared war. Researchers may well have discovered a weapon that will help us achieve victory.
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[EN VIDÉO] Green chemistry: CO2, a new raw material? Environmental (and economic) considerations oblige, the chemical industry is considering more and more seriously…
Drawing inspiration from natural photosynthesisphotosynthesis to produce sustainable zero-carbon fuels. This is the dream of a lot of researchers. A Cambridge University team (United Kingdom) has been working on this for several years now. They were able to develop kinds of artificial leaves that convert carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide (CO2) and water into fuels. Thanks to the only energyenergy received from the sunsun.
So far, however, their trials have only involved artificial leaves powered by pure, concentrated CO2. Conditions out of all proportion to natural conditions. Since CO2 is just one of many molecules found in our atmosphere. So, to gain selectivity, researchers have turned to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. They have thus succeeded in adapting their artificial leaf so that it operates using factory outlet gas or directly from the ambient air.
Soon a laboratory demonstrator
A system enriched with an alkaline solution. Air passing through. Here’s how they managed to selectively trap CO2. And even to concentrate it to then facilitate the conversion of this CO2. But the not-so-secret ingredient in the operation turned out to be…plastic waste! “If we add plastic waste to the system, the plastic donates electrons electrons to CO2. This facilitates the reactions and the plastic then breaks down into glycolic acid, which is widely used in the cosmetics industry. The CO2 is converted into syngas, which is a simple fuel”explains Motiar Rahaman, the first author of the work, in a press release from the University of Cambridge. All powered solely, remember, by sunlight.
Researchers are now working to develop a laboratory demonstrator. “This technology could help us exclude fossil fuels from the fuel manufacturing process”, notes Motiar Rahaman. What hope to finally completely eliminate these combustible fuels from the equation. And thus, stop our CO2 emissions. Or even reverse the machine by continuing to capture CO2 in the air until it returns to pre-industrial concentration levels.
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