Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Eco-Friendly Biofuels?

[ZuZu 10]

Interesting article I thought id share with you guys:

Singaporean researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have devised a way to convert carbon dioxide into clean-burning biofuel methanol, using a safe, non-toxic process. Has mankind defeated the final boss of Global Warming?

This scientific discovery was printed in the renowned chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie, who deemed the breakthrough as "very important." According to Gizmag, "scientists have been able to make carbon dioxide react with a stable organocatalyst called N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) under mild conditions in dry air." After that, a dash of silica and a touch of hydrogen are added in, where the entire mixture is subjected to hydrolysis to produce the methanol.

The most promising part is that this NHC is a supposedly abundant gas. So here's hoping we actually see this move past the idea stage.

source: http://i.gizmodo.com/5220412/apparently-we...ly-biofuels-now

[Teto 2609]

Hmm. It seems we are meddling with forces we cannot control. This can only end badly, my friends.

More seriously though, that's a brilliant discovery if they can fully take advantage of it on a large scale. Things are looking good from here on.

[Chameleon 0]

Hmm. It seems we are meddling with forces we cannot control. This can only end badly, my friends.

Like everything else humans have done.

The thing that gets me is the "under mild conditions in dry air." I'm not sure how big a deal that is.

[Aethix 129]

The problem is, Carbon dioxide requires energy to be broken up and re-formed into new compounds. You still need a source of energy to do that.

[Chameleon 0]

What? That's what the catalyst does...

[Teto 2609]

Silly Aethix and his poor reading skills.

[Aethix 129]

What? That's what the catalyst does...

*facepalm*

A catalyst speeds up the reaction. That's it. It doesn't lessen the energy requirements at all. It's like making ethanol--you still have to burn the oil to get the power.

What we need is this baby...

http://www.google.com/patents?id=D4QwAAAAEBAJ

[Arcane 12]

Catalysts can also slow down the reaction, not just speed it up. But that's irrelevant...

Anyways, sounds good to me. It's always nice to see that some people are actually trying to solve the problem rather than complain and theorize about it.

[ZuZu 10]

There are lots of clean, re-usable forms of energy to be harvested - solar, wind, tidal, geothermic - of the top of my head

Good news, properly used it could mean the end (or a vital part of the end) of global warming.

[Chameleon 0]

*facepalm*

A catalyst speeds up the reaction. That's it. It doesn't lessen the energy requirements at all. It's like making ethanol--you still have to burn the oil to get the power.

What we need is this baby...

http://www.google.com/patents?id=D4QwAAAAEBAJ

This article wasn't talking about how the fuel would be used. It was just talking about creating Methanol.

Also, you really shouldn't be facepalming when you fail to explain something. I do have a basic understanding of chemistry (at the least). Facepalming is retarded anyway.

Edited 22 Apr 2009 by Chameleon (see edit history)

[Aethix 129]

Catalysts can also slow down the reaction, not just speed it up. But that's irrelevant...

Anyways, sounds good to me. It's always nice to see that some people are actually trying to solve the problem rather than complain and theorize about it.

No, inhibitors slow down the reactions.

[real link 0]

of course the government is just gonna confiscate it so they can still make money off fossil fuels i.e. its gonna go the way of the electric car

[Aethix 129]

of course the government is just gonna confiscate it so they can still make money off fossil fuels i.e. its gonna go the way of the electric car

Um, what?

The government is practically requiring dealerships to sell electric cars? Do you have any idea at all what you're talking about?

[Max 10]

The problem is, Carbon dioxide requires energy to be broken up and re-formed into new compounds. You still need a source of energy to do that.

Dude, isn't it obvious? We just get all the french people in the world and put them on stationary bicycles, use the old copper wire and magnets trick and BAM! Energy problem solved.

But in all seriousness, this is an earth changing discovery.

Oh, and Aethix, I think he just got his facts wrong. Real Link, you mean the oil companies will. You see, the government had nothing to do with it. There have been countless inventions to increase fuel efficiency, but most all have been bought out by large oil corporations.

Edited 25 Apr 2009 by Min (see edit history)

[Aethix 129]

Of course, if the inventors weren't sell-outs, this wouldn't be an issue.

Gravity power is the future. The First Law of Thermodynamics will be proven a farce.