Ethylene is used in the manufacture of everything from rubber to plastics, but producing it from fossil fuels creates a large carbon footprint, not to mention diverting these fuels from other uses.
Now, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have come up with a way of producing ethylene using solar power, carbon dioxide and water, in a move that could have a wide-reaching impact on the industry if it can be scaled up to be commercially viable.
By introducing a copper catalyst to an artificial photosynthesis system, which gets its energy from a solar panel, the team were able to generate the required electricity to convert carbon dioxide and water into ethylene.
NUS chemistry assistant professor Jason Yeo, who led the research, commented: “Our device not only employs a completely renewable energy source, but also converts carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into something useful. This could potentially close the carbon cycle.”
The team also incorporated a battery into the design of their system, enabling it to produce ethylene in a continuous and stable manner.
According to Essential Chemistry Industry, ethylene is the most important organic chemical by tonnage that is manufactured, because of the wide range of products it is used in. This means a breakthrough in ethylene production from renewable sources could have significant benefits around the globe.
Globally, 134 million tonnes of ethylene is produced each year, of which 50 million tonnes is produced in the Asia Pacific region, making this area the world’s biggest producer of the chemical.
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