Turning Carbon Dioxide into Methanol using a more reliable catalyst combination

Researchers at Technische Universität Wien, with the help of a special catalyst material made of sulfur and molybdenum, have managed to make liquid methanol from CO2. In industrial processes where carbon dioxide occurs at a high  concentration, for example directly in the exhaust gas stream of large industrial plants, that this catalyst can be used most efficiently. The idea of converting carbon dioxide into valuable products is not new, but most catalysts used so far are poisoned by other chemicals mixed in with the Carbon Dioxide. Special additional elements, such as manganese, ensure that carbon dioxide, which is actually very unreactive, is activated and converted. By choosing such additional elements, the properties of the catalysts can be precisely adapted to the desired area of application. Photo Technische Universität Wien



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