A Taiwan research team recently demonstrated an innovative approach for converting carbon dioxide into methanol that has potential applications in a wide range of fields spanning energy and transportation, according to Taipei-based National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Feb. 9.
Developed by three researchers at the university’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the technique was outlined in a study released Jan. 24 in Scientific Reports, an online open access journal from the publishers of Nature.
Professor Kuo Dong-hau, who led the research team, said the approach can help advance efforts to tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions and promoting the development of the low-carbon economy.
According to Kuo, most existing conversion methods operate at temperatures of greater than 150 degrees Celsius and require external electrical energy and high illumination intensity. In cases where lower temperatures were achieved, they either involved additional reagents or could only take place at high pressures.
Using an inorganic catalyst, Kuo’s team successfully developed a low-cost, energy-efficient system that turns carbon dioxide into methanol at normal temperatures and pressures. Through another process, also conducted at room temperature, the methanol was successfully converted into hydrogen.
“Research into carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methanol processes is crucial given the role they could play in advancing environmental sustainability,” Kuo said, adding that methanol is a key industrial chemical that can be used to create a variety of substances, while hydrogen can serve as a source of clean energy.
The researcher said the new carbon conversion technology developed by his team could provide solutions in fields spanning portable appliances, power generation and motor vehicle transportation, among others. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw