Converting Greenhouse Gases into Valuable Compounds

Researchers at McGill University have harnessed solar energy to convert two of the most harmful greenhouse gases into useful compounds. This breakthrough could aid in the fight against climate change while providing a more environmentally friendly approach to producing certain industrial goods. The study was published in Nature Communications.

Imagine a world where the exhaust from your car or emissions from a factory could be transformed, with the help of sunlight, into clean fuel for vehicles, the building blocks for everyday plastics, and energy stored in batteries. That’s precisely the kind of transformation this new chemical process enables.

Hui Su, Study Co-First Author and Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, McGill University

The research team developed a novel light-driven chemical process that converts methane and carbon dioxide into green methanol and carbon monoxide in a single reaction. Both products are highly valued by the chemical and energy industries, according to the researchers.

Turning to Nature for a Sustainable Solution

The study outlines a novel mechanism inspired by nature's blueprint, akin to how photosynthesis enables plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight.

In this process, a unique combination of gold, palladium, and gallium nitride serves as a catalyst. When exposed to sunlight, this catalyst initiates a reaction where an oxygen atom from carbon dioxide bonds with a methane molecule, resulting in the production of green methanol. Carbon monoxide is produced as a byproduct of the reaction.

“By tapping into the abundant energy of the sun, we can essentially recycle two greenhouse gases into useful products. The process works at room temperature and doesn’t require the high heat or harsh chemicals used in other chemical reactions,” said Chao-Jun Li, a Distinguished James McGill Professor in McGill’s Department of Chemistry and a Canada Research Chair in Green/Organic Chemistry.

This innovation offers a promising path towards Canada’s target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and turns an environmental challenge into an opportunity for a more sustainable future.

Jing-Tan Han, Study Co-First Author and Ph.D. Student, Department of Chemistry, McGill University

The research received funding from Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canada Research Chair program, Quebec's Nature and Technologies Research Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovations, McGill University's MSSI fund, Axelys, and Catalum Technologies.

Journal Reference:

Su, H., et al. (2024) Photosynthesis of CH₃OH via oxygen-atom-grafting from CO₂ to CH₄ enabled by AuPd/GaN. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50801-3