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Chinese scientists have developed a plant-inspired method to convert carbon dioxide and water into valuable chemicals, such as the building blocks for petrol, by using solar energy.
The process – inspired by photosynthesis, where plants harness sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to generate energy – could help produce a sustainable source of fuel, the researchers said.
The team, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said they had developed a material able to store small amounts of electrical energy to help efficiently drive chemical reactions.
When paired with catalysts that converted carbon dioxide into various chemicals, it enabled the solar-driven production of carbon monoxide.
This could be further converted into fuel, offering a possible alternative for hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation and shipping.
“This work establishes a bioinspired charge reservoir strategy for efficient carbon dioxide photoreduction, providing a universal approach to solar fuel production,” the team wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications last week.
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Another day another incredible push to further develop the productive forces and undermine fossil fuel dependency
No wonder China has the top Universities in the world.