Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to methane and oxygen with an oxygen ion-conducting electrolyte
 
Herein, even Stanford University, in California, acknowledges that, as we have been documenting from across the country and around the world, it is known, in certain circles, that Carbon Dioxide, which arises in a small way, relative to natural sources of emission, from our use of coal, is a valuable raw material resource which we should develop the technologies to more fully utilize.
 
Brief comment follows excerpts from:
 
"Title: Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to methane and oxygen with an oxygen ion-conducting electrolyte
 
Authors: Gurt, T.M.; Wise, H.; Huggins, R.A.
 
Affiliation: Stanford University; Dept. of Materials Science Engineering; Stanford, CA
 
Publication: Journal of Catalysis, 1991, vol. 129, pp. 216-224
 
Abstract: The performance characteristics of a solid-state electrochemical cell have been examined for the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide and hydrogen to methane and oxygen. The electrolyte, made up of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), served the dual function of (a) a support material for the platinum catalyst, and (b) an oxygen ion-conducting membrane for the removal of surface oxygen formed during the reaction. The results indicate a linear increase in reaction rate with DC bias applied across the solid electrolyte. The reaction proceeds by way of a stepwise abstraction of oxygen atoms from carbon dioxide and hydrogenation of surface carbon to methane "
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As we read "results indicate a linear increase in reaction rate with DC bias", etc., we take it to mean that, as you turn up the voltage, you increase both the amount of Carbon Dioxide you convert into Methane and the speed with which you do it.
 
Remember: Once we have the Methane, we can, via "Tri-Reforming" processes, as described by various institutions, such as Penn State University and West Virginia University, use it to convert, to recycle, even more Carbon Dioxide into even more complex, and valuable, hydrocarbons which serve as the bases for liquid fuel and plastics syntheses.

Our excerpt from the attached file is brief. Due to way we had to track it down, we are unable to include a web link to it, or to provide details of it's time and place of publication. However, we feel certain the document is valid.
 
We have many times documented Penn State University's "Tri-reforming" process, and other, similar, technologies, wherein Carbon Dioxide can be reacted with Methane, which itself can be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide or Coal, as we have also many times documented, to synthesize higher hydrocarbons suitable as raw materials for liquid fuel or plastics manufacturing.
 
Herein, it is documented that knowledge of such Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies exists in the very heart of US Coal Country - at West Virginia University.
 

CATALYTIC COAL HYDROGASIFICATION PROCESS - Patent 3847567
 
Since Methane is required for tri-reforming processes, such as the one explained, as we have documented, by Penn State University; and, the one we recently reported, which has been patented (US4886651; "Process for co-production of higher alcohols, methanol and ammonia") by Air Products and Chemicals, wherein Carbon Dioxide is consumed, recycled, as a co-reactant in the production of liquid hydrocarbons from Methane; and the CO2-recycling technology we just, in our last dispatch, reported as being described by West Virginia University; and the Carbon Dioxide utilization and recycling process patented by Exxon, as US5266175, we wanted to further document that, not only can the Methane needed for CO2 recycling be itself synthesized from Carbon Dioxide, via the Nobel-winning Sabatier, and other, technologies, it can also be generated from processes of Coal gasification.
 
And, Exxon knows it.
 
We have earlier reported Exxon's, then Esso's, development of coal gasification technology many decades ago, in the 1960's, and even the 1950's.
 
Herein, we see that Exxon further refined their early gasification technology, and were awarded a United States Patent for that refinement of their process to manufacture Methane, from Coal.
 

Conversion of methane, carbon dioxide and water using microwave radiation - Patent 5266175
 
This is a lengthy dispatch.
 
Keep in mind, through all of it, our earlier suggestions that the mandated geologic sequestration of Carbon Dioxide, in nearly-depleted petroleum reservoirs, just might be a scam being perpetrated on the coal industry, and on coal people, by Big Oil; him being intent on having us finance the scavenging of the last petroleum dregs from his nearly-depleted oil reservoirs, and having us pay him to take and store, all the transport at our expense, Carbon Dioxide in those reservoirs, until he wants it back for his own purposes.
 
When we suggested in earlier reports that Big Oil, through his support of Carbon Dioxide sequestration in old oil wells, all to be paid for by the coal-use industry and US taxpayers, wasn't just conniving to get other people to pay for the scrounging of a last bit of petroleum out of nearly-depleted oil reservoirs, but actually stealing, through deception, a potentially-valuable resource for later exploitation and commercial use, we weren't joking.
 
Herein, we document, with a US Patent, that ExxonMobil intends to recycle Carbon Dioxide, by converting it into synthesis gas from which liquid fuels can be produced via Fischer-Tropsch, and other, catalytic processes.