A brand new study from scientists at Yale University and the University of Missouri shows that catalysts made with manganese can efficiently convert carbon dioxide into formate. Manganese is widely available and low price, making it a sexy alternative to expensive metals. Formate is taken into account a promising material for storing hydrogen, which could help power the subsequent generation of fuel cells.
The research was published within the journal Chem. The lead authors are Yale postdoctoral researcher Justin Wedal and University of Missouri graduate research assistant Kyler Virtue. Senior authors include Yale professor Nilay Hazari and University of Missouri professor Wesley Bernskoetter.
Why Hydrogen Fuel Cells Matter
Hydrogen fuel cells work by turning chemical energy from hydrogen into electricity, much like how a battery operates. Although the technology holds promise for clean energy, large-scale adoption has been limited by the problem and value of manufacturing and storing hydrogen efficiently.
“Carbon dioxide utilization is a priority without delay, as we search for renewable chemical feedstocks to switch feedstocks derived from fossil fuel,” said Hazari, the John Randolph Huffman Professor of Chemistry, and chair of chemistry, in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).
Formate as a Hydrogen Carrier
Formic acid, the protonated type of formate, is already manufactured at an industrial scale. It is often used as a preservative, an antibacterial agent, and in leather tanning. Many scientists also see it as a practical source of hydrogen for fuel cells, provided it might be made in a sustainable and efficient way.
Today, most industrial formate production relies on fossil fuels, which limits its long-term environmental advantages. Researchers say a cleaner alternative can be to supply formate directly from carbon dioxide within the air. This approach would each reduce greenhouse gas levels and create a useful chemical product.
The Catalyst Challenge
Transforming carbon dioxide into formate requires a catalyst, and that has been a significant obstacle. Lots of probably the most effective catalysts developed thus far depend upon precious metals which might be costly, scarce, and sometimes toxic. More abundant metals are inclined to break down quickly, which reduces their ability to drive the chemical response.
How Manganese Outperformed Expectations
The research team developed a brand new technique to overcome this problem. By redesigning the catalyst structure, they significantly prolonged the working lifetime of manganese-based catalysts. Consequently, these catalysts performed higher than most precious metal alternatives.
In keeping with the researchers, the important thing improvement got here from adding an additional donor atom to the ligand design (ligands are atoms or molecules that bond with a metal atom and influence reactivity). This transformation helped stabilize the catalyst and maintain its effectiveness.
“I’m excited to see the ligand design repay in such a meaningful way,” said Wedal.
Broader Implications for Clean Chemistry
The team believes this approach might be applied beyond carbon dioxide conversion. Similar design principles may improve catalysts utilized in other chemical reactions, potentially expanding the impact of the work.
Yale researchers Brandon Mercado and Nicole Piekut also contributed to the study. Funding for the research was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.