S. Korean researchers turn CO2 into industrial gas

A South Korean research team has developed a catalyst and processing technology that converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an industrial gas.

Carbon monoxide is used in metal fabrication, electronics, and in the production of acids, ester, alcohol, metal carbonyls, and pharmaceuticals.

The joint research team from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and Seoul National University developed a nickel monoatomic catalyst as the metal works more efficiently if developed to a monoatomic form,

By using the nickel monoatomic catalyst, a transformative reaction is made available even in a gas state.

Under the existing method, a high purity carbon dioxide gas is used as a reaction material, thereby limiting the scope of applications in industrial areas.

Also, carbon monoxide is generated by melting carbon dioxide in the water and subjecting it to an electrochemical reaction.

The research team discovered that carbon monoxide production can be increased up to 93 percent even with carbon dioxide at a low concentration of 10 percent of the exhaust gas level.