New Catalyst Converts CO2 to Methane. A Breakthrough in the Fight Against Climate Change?

Researchers at McGill University have created a catalyst that turns carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane. This process relies on small copper particles called nanoclusters. Unlike traditional methods of making methane from fossil fuels, which add more CO2 to the atmosphere, this new electrocatalyst-based process is much more environmentally friendly.

Renewable energy and its storage

Mahdi Salehi, a PhD candidate at McGill University’s Electrocatalysis Laboratory, highlights that renewable energy sources are still inconsistent. “On sunny and windy days, we can harness renewable energy, but it must be used immediately,” Salehi explains. The new catalyst enables renewable energy to be stored as methane, making it available for later use.

Closed carbon cycle

A new method using copper nanoclusters can turn atmospheric carbon dioxide into methane. After the methane is used, the released carbon dioxide can be captured and converted back into methane, forming a closed “carbon cycle” that doesn’t add new CO2 to the atmosphere. This research, published in the journal Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, was enabled by the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan.

Salehi explains that the studies used copper catalysts of various sizes, from small ones with just 19 atoms to larger ones with 1,000 atoms. The research showed that the size and structure of the copper nanoclusters are crucial to the reaction’s success.

Plans for the future

The team of scientists plans to further improve the catalyst to make it more efficient and explore its use in large-scale industrial applications. They hope their discoveries will create new opportunities for generating clean, sustainable energy.

Source: phys.org