Rhenium Catalyst Converts CO2 into Fuel 800 Times Faster
Since the early 2000s, efforts have been made to capture CO2 from the air to convert it into climate-neutral fuel. Since the 2020s, research into CO2 electrolysis has been gaining momentum. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have now developed a rhenium-core catalyst that accelerates this process 800-fold with nearly the same energy input.
Up to 800 Times More Catalytic Activity Through Rhenium
The researchers found the foundation for their new super-catalyst in an existing model with a rhenium atom at its core. This atom is surrounded by cations and other particles at a specific distance. The scientists’ ingenious discovery is that the distance of the cations from the core significantly changes the catalyst’s efficiency. They developed three different versions, testing different distances of the cations from the core. At the optimal distance, the catalytic activity had increased 800-fold.
Milestone for Future Catalysts
CO2 electrolysis has been researched for some time to produce fuels such as ethanol and methanol from CO2. The challenge so far has been finding a catalyst that works quickly and efficiently enough to be suitable for mass production. To this end, researchers have tested various materials. However, a great deal of energy has always been required to initiate the reaction, which represents an economic constraint, particularly for larger-scale production. This makes Gerald Manbeck, one of the scientists, all the more optimistic. Because the new catalyst requires much less energy than previous models and performs exceptionally well, according to Manbeck, it could shape the design of future catalysts.
Further Development for Mass Production
The research team plans to further develop its super-catalyst. In the future, semiconductor-based light absorbers are intended to provide additional power to initiate the catalytic reaction. This would further reduce the energy required for the reaction. We find this very exciting! In any case, we will continue to follow this super-catalyst on its path to mass production. However the journey continues, rhenium will definitely be part of it.