Elijah Thimsen, an associate professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering, and Alcina Johnson Sudagar, a staff scientist in his lab, have made significant strides in sustainable carbon upcycling. Their latest research focuses on the conversion of carbon monoxide into useful organic acids. They do this by handing the problem over to non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma in aqueous solutions. This groundbreaking method has the potential to change how many sectors manufacture important chemicals—from fertilizers to pharmaceuticals—while tackling our climate and pollution challenges.
The research published in Green Chemistry on the 5th of August has yielded some thrilling, groundbreaking results. This result indicates that carbon monoxide is a more feasible feedstock for organic acid production compared to carbon dioxide. The study illustrates a notable increase in yields of oxalic and formic acids from carbon monoxide, offering a new avenue for chemical production that could help mitigate the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Research Methodology and Findings
Rather than synthetic gases, Thimsen and Sudagar used non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma to drive the conversion of carbon monoxide in water-based solutions. This innovative approach dramatically reduces operating cost and energy usage by using electrical energy rather than low-cost, but thermal energy at very high chemical specificity. According to their results, organic acids produced from carbon monoxide produce significantly more positive outcomes. The ones made from carbon dioxide are lacking.
Sudagar is particularly proud of the appeal of their two-step conversion process. This approach begins with breaking carbon dioxide down into carbon monoxide. It then feeds that captured carbon monoxide to microbes that convert it into organic acids, providing a novel method for upcycling waste gases while avoiding 90% of carbon emissions. Their work suggests a pathway towards sustainable chemical manufacturing, which could have far-reaching implications for various industries.
Implications for Industry and Environment
This study highlights the feasibility of utilizing plasma technology to rapidly transform greenhouse gas emissions into useful organic chemicals. This process has the potential to greatly reduce the environmental footprint of carbon dioxide. Increasing their use not only addresses the growing demand for organic acids—essential components in sectors including food additives, pharmaceuticals, and biodegradable materials.
Thimsen and Sudagar take full advantage of this exciting fourth state of matter — plasma. Their work further contributes to a growing base of knowledge that demonstrates how creative new approaches can solve our energy and environmental challenges. Shifting to waste as a resources approach contributes to a variety of global sustainability goals. If successful, this innovation would pave the way for greener, more sustainable manufacturing processes.