New study explains the molecular mechanism to carbon-neutral fuels from carbon dioxide

The researchers from Stanford University and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have shown how electricity along with Earth-abundant catalyst can convert CO2 into energy-rich carbon monoxide and can beneutralized in an easy manner of CO2 has emerged as an alternative to burying the greenhouse gas underground but scientists now have uncovered the molecular mechanism of enzymes involved, which helps to neutralize the carbon-neutral gas.

“We showed we can use electricity to reduce CO2 into CO with 100 percent selectivity and without producing the undesired byproduct of solid carbon," said William Chueh, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford. Although plants reduce CO2 to sugars naturally, an artificial electrochemical is required to commercialize the product. But the problem is that devices use too much electricity, to convert a minute quantity of CO2 molecules, or produce pure carbon which affects the device.

This discovery plays a crucial role in the field of renewable sources of energy and may lead to improvements in therapeutics and green gas discovery. It also will help scientists to discover more techniques by modifying certain components to develop safer and most effective fuel as a replacement for carbon dioxide. This also will lead to the commercialization of the product.