A research team from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has unveiled a groundbreaking method to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into methanol. UNIST Professor Jungki Ryu at the School Energy and Chemical Engineering has spearheaded this new paradigm. It has the potential to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and provide a long-term, renewable fuel source.
The recently patented approach is being developed in partnership with MacArthur Genius Award Professor Jongsoon Kim of Sungkyunkwan University and Aloysius Son of Yonsei University. Together, they have developed a unique copper-based catalyst that, in a single step, efficiently converts CO₂ into high-purity methanol. The chain reaction begins with the catalyst producing formic acid (HCOOH). Next, it uses the formate pathway to turn the methanol into methanol, departing from the existing carbon monoxide (CO) based methods.
Our catalyst achieved a maximum selectivity of 70% which is quite remarkable. This is one of the highest faradaic efficiencies ever reported for copper-based catalysts,” said Professor Ryu. This level of selectivity is unprecedented. Desired selectivities were modest, typical for copper catalysts, with usually only 10% to 30% selectivities produced. Most impressively, the performance of this bi-metal catalyst comes close to that of more costly precious metal catalysts.
The cool new transformation trick, which is enabled by running an electric current through the electrode while it’s going through a battery-like discharge, anode. This technique produces a small percentage of copper pyrophosphate actively reductive to metallic copper. From this, the two materials self-assemble into a composite combined within individual particles.
Methanol today is an important industrial feedstock and energy carrier. In fact, each year, more than four million tons are eaten each year all over the world. Professor Ryu emphasized the significance of this development: “This cost-effective catalyst, made from inexpensive copper, demonstrates high selectivity and current density, bringing us closer to industrial-scale ‘carbon resource conversion’—directly transforming CO₂ into valuable resources.”
Nevertheless, looking ahead, the research team would like to see this technology upscaled for real-world applications. By using ideas borrowed from battery manufacturing to make the catalyst, it emphasizes its promise toward real-world, large-scale applications. Said Professor Ryu, “Our next steps involve advancing this technology by scaling up the electrode areas. We want to integrate systems together for commercial use.”
