Catalyst converts CO₂ into high-value industrial chemical at room temperature with record efficiency

A research team has created a catalyst that converts carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change, into 2-propanol, a valuable industrial chemical, at room temperature and ambient pressure with unmatched efficiency. This groundbreaking development, published in Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, could revolutionize the way greenhouse gases are handled.

Previous methods had only produced simple molecules like carbon monoxide or methane, but the new catalyst successfully synthesized complex 2-propanol, widely used as a semiconductor cleaning agent and disinfectant. The key to this remarkable achievement lay in the precise regulation of electron flow on the catalyst surface, which established bifurcated reaction pathways.

These two pathways operated simultaneously, guiding carbon atoms within carbon dioxide to bond with exceptional precision and producing 2-propanol with unparalleled selectivity and yield.

Remarkably, this innovative catalyst operated at room temperature and ambient pressure, eliminating the need for specialized equipment. It also demonstrated exceptional durability, maintaining stable performance for 48 hours of continuous operation without degradation. Professor Jung Kyu Kim, the lead researcher from the School of Chemical Engineering, explained that the breakthrough involved a novel design strategy where two distinct chemical reaction pathways work cooperatively on the catalyst surface.

This achievement marks a significant step towards accelerating the commercialization of green technologies that transform waste carbon dioxide into valuable industrial raw materials.