Ionic liquid boosts efficiency of CO2 reduction catalyst
Monday, June 9, 2014 - 05:02
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org) —Wouldn't it be nice to use solar- or wind-generated electricity to turn excess carbon dioxide—one of the gases trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere—into fuels and other useful chemicals? The process would store up the intermittent solar or wind energy in a form that could be used when and where it was needed, including in transportation applications, all while getting rid of some greenhouse gas. The trick is to find the right catalysts to facilitate the conversion of CO2 with high activity and minimal energy input.