Hydrocarbons from CO2

 

We submit this, the report of yet another research effort in Japan, which confirms once more that we can utilize the by-products of coal use, including and especially Carbon Dioxide,  to manufacture useful, valuable organic chemicals and hydrocarbons. 

 

Methane, one product of the CO2 conversions described herein, is just a "natural gas", and has some basic uses we're all familiar with. It can also serve as the raw material for synthesis into other products, including, through several competing processes - processes, in truth, of debateable practicality - methanol, which itself can be further converted into gasoline.

 

Notably, in the abstract below, you will see that the Japanese researchers have achieved a 95% yield of methane from CO2, using appropriate catalysts, which is beyond pretty-darned pure. The end product would require much less refining and cleaning than the stuff we would get from nature, and the processing costs would thus be much lower. 

 

The Japanese researchers also demonstrate that, through the use of other catalysts, they can synthesize other gaseous, and liquid, hydrocarbons from Carbon Dioxide.

 

As follows:

 

"Title;Hydrocarbon Synthesis from Carbon dioxide by Catalytic Hydrogenation

Abstract;The synthesis of hydrocarbon was carried out by the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide. Methane was obtained in 95% yield by LaNi5 catalyst. Gaseous hydrocarbons (C2-C5) were obtained by zeolite/Cu/Zn hybrid catalyst. Liquid hydrocarbons (higher than C5) were obtained by Cu/Fe mixed oxide catalyst."

 

As we've been reporting, Carbon Dioxide could, and  should, be a raw material resource, a valuable by-product of our coal use. 

 

And, a final point: These processes are, generically, the hydrogenation of CO2, the same type of process that is, in some forward-thinking, but out-of-the-way places around the world, being applied to coal to make synthetic liquid fuel.