Chemists at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia have developed a new process that can turn carbon dioxide (CO2) back into coal using liquid metals as a catalyst at room temperature. This breakthrough could have significant implications for climate change, as many nations are striving to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050. The current consensus is that this cannot be achieved through reducing CO2 emissions alone, and that active removal of CO2 from the atmosphere is necessary. While industrial plants have been built to extract CO2 from the air, the process of compressing and storing it in liquid form is expensive and poses technical and safety challenges. The new process of converting CO2 back into coal offers a promising alternative.
The chemists developed a liquid metal catalyst that can chemically convert CO2 into carbon flakes using electricity. This process was previously only possible at high temperatures, but can now be achieved at room temperature. The carbon flakes can be used as electrodes or as a synthetic fuel, and can even be used as a capacitor for electric cars. The process is efficient and can be scaled up for industrial use, but further research is needed before it can be implemented on a large scale.
This new process offers a potential solution to the challenge of removing CO2 from the atmosphere and could have significant implications for the fight against climate change. The ability to convert CO2 back into coal at room temperature offers a more cost-effective and practical solution than compressing and storing it in liquid form. While further research is needed, this breakthrough could pave the way for a more sustainable future.
