Research conducted by a University of Pittsburgh team has created a method for designing a catalyst that could result in large-scale implementation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture and conversion.

The discovery, published in Catalysis Science & Technology, promises two benefits: an economically feasible method to reduce atmospheric CO2 and production of methanol, a “green” fuel.

Artist's conception of the catalyst. Credit: University of PittsburghThese results build on previous research on catalysts conducted by team lead Karl Johnson and postdoctoral researcher Jingyun Ye. Existing technologies for capturing carbon and converting it to methanol can be complex and expensive. A common method for converting CO₂ to methanol requires cracking the CO₂ bond, removing an oxygen atom, and combining the remaining CO with water.

The strength of the CO₂ bond requires steady application of very high heat, up to 1000 degrees Celsius. Johnson’s team aims to simplify the process by designing a catalyst capable of breaking the CO₂ bond at much lower temperatures. Johnson and Ye determined that two qualities of a good catalyst are hydrogen absorption energy and Lewis pair hardness.

With these results as background, the team worked to design a catalyst using metal organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs could enable a single process for capturing CO₂ and converting it to methanol. Rather than attempt trial-and-error work with individual compounds, Johnson and Ye relied on computation for compound simulation, a process that can eliminate dead ends and facilitate progress faster than traditional research methods.

Development of a new MOF catalyst can lead to a sustainable CO₂ sequestration and conversion process. According to Johnson, "This new MOF catalyst could provide the key to close the carbon loop and generate fuel from CO₂, analogously to how a plant converts carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons."