Tandem catalytic system efficiently converts carbon dioxide to methanol (IMAGE)
Caption
Boston College researchers used three different catalysts in one system to transform, in three steps, the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide to methanol, a liquid fuel that serves as a promising method for hydrogen storage. The first catalyst converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen to formic acid, which is then modified by a second catalyst to form an ester, incorporating an alcohol additive and producing water. The third catalyst in the system, which is typically incompatible with the first catalyst, then converts this ester to methanol. The team was able to perform this multistep reaction in one reaction vessel despite using two incompatible catalysts by encapsulating one in a porous framework that also acts as the second catalyst.
Credit
Frank Tsung
Usage Restrictions
Credit Frank Tsung
License
Licensed content