A research photo showing the conversion of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into 2-propanol, an industrial chemical. [Provided by Sungkyunkwan University]
A research photo showing the conversion of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into 2-propanol, an industrial chemical. [Provided by Sungkyunkwan University]

Researchers at Sungkyunkwan University have developed a high-efficiency catalyst that directly converts carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into 2-propanol, an industrial chemical.

Sungkyunkwan University announced Friday that a research team led by Kim Jung-gyu, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, developed the catalyst technology in collaboration with a team led by professor Lee Sang-wook and a team led by Ko Jae-hyun, a researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). The findings were published online in the international journal Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy.

Research into converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals by applying electrical energy has continued to attract interest, as the approach can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while turning them into a resource. However, existing technologies have largely been limited to producing relatively simple compounds such as carbon monoxide and methane.

The research team improved on this by engineering the catalyst surface to regulate electron flow so that two chemical reaction pathways operate simultaneously. Through this process, the team succeeded in selectively producing 2-propanol — a structurally complex molecule — by linking the carbon atoms of carbon dioxide.

2-propanol is an industrial alcohol used in semiconductor cleaning agents and disinfectants. The catalyst produced the compound at high efficiency under room temperature and atmospheric pressure, without the need for high-pressure equipment. Performance held through 48 consecutive hours of operation, confirming the catalyst's stability.

"We designed the catalyst so that two chemical reaction pathways work in concert with each other," Kim said. "We expect this to contribute to the commercialization of technology that converts carbon dioxide into industrial feedstock."


jookapooka@heraldcorp.com