r/science • u/Wagamaga • Aug 06 '20

Chemistry Turning carbon dioxide into liquid fuel. Scientists have discovered a new electrocatalyst that converts carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into ethanol with very high energy efficiency, high selectivity for the desired final product and low cost.

https://www.anl.gov/article/turning-carbon-dioxide-into-liquid-fuel
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u/zigbigadorlou Aug 06 '20

Thermodynamically, we're always going to be going up in energy. That energy is to be derived from renewable energy sources in the form of electricity. While this paper/ research is really cool cutting edge research, we're still a ways off from widespread usage.

To put things in perspective: the goal of making fuels efficiently from CO2 is kind of a holy grail of chemistry. What you are seeing is cutting edge research. Typically you get hydrogen, formate, carbon monoxide, and smaller amounts of ethylene and methanol using copper for aqueous CO2 reduction. Getting a C2 molecule in such high selectivity is incredible. Recent papers I've seen have more like 30-40% selectivity.

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u/leshake Aug 06 '20

Why would you make fuel from the CO2 just to burn it again and produce...CO2. Either use the renewable energy directly, use it to charge a battery, or use it to produce a fuel like hyrogen that produces water when burned.

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u/zigbigadorlou Aug 06 '20

A number of reasons: energy density, materials scarcity, and technological compatibility, to name a few

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u/leshake Aug 06 '20

So we are back to the status quo except we are wasting more energy now.

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u/hitssquad Aug 06 '20

The world has plenty of energy. What it needs is liquid fuel.

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u/leshake Aug 06 '20

It has plenty of energy that isn't renewable. If the point is to be cost effective then use fossil fuel, if the point is to be renewable then use that. This does neither.