The holy grail of the Derbonization He was always among us and we hadn’t even noticed it. Contamination is one of the major environmental problems with which the Tierra Currently. In fact, they associate it with climate change and lung cancer. As human activities go, they also do the ways to introduce impurities and waste in the natural environment.
That would be the “perfect” definition of contamination: the absorption of polluting actors in an ecosystem. A process that comes from a deterioration of the quality and health of different living things. Pollution can influence different means. For example, you can harm the quality of air, water or soil.
Somehow it happens when substances that change the natural properties of an environment are released, causing harmful effects. The causes of pollution are much and complex. Many of them must be directly related to human behavior, such as the burning of fossil fuels for energy production and transport.
They find the key to achieving low -carbon: it was always there
In this context, the Derbonization It is becoming increasingly important. It is a progressive process to reduce carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Until now, experts have tried to replace pollution fuels with clean alternatives.
A researcher at Inamat2 Institute of the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) He went one step further and has found the key to terminate contamination with an element that was always there: CO2. Has converted carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane (CH4) renewable using sunlight as an energy source
His work is the result of his doctoral thesis. It is an important progress in the research of CCUS technologies (absorption, storage and use of carbon). A kind of important technologies to lower the emissions of pollutants in sectors in which low -carbon -poor extremely complex.
This is the case of the cement industry, aviation or maritime and road transport. Part of the results of his statement is published in the magazine Applied catalysis B: environment and energy. The optimum and sustainable conversion of CO2 with sunlight studied in this information is opening a new door for the production of clean fuels, such as methane, which can be used as an alternative to natural gas.
Discarking finds his best ally at the least thoughtful place
Similarly, that methane could be used as a neutral replacement with natural gas emissions, given that this fossil fuel would cover between 83 and 97% methane, depending on the deposition. In this way, renewable methane can be used for scenarios such as thermal plants (the use of fuel ”, producing neutral carbon emissions.
This scenario would be possible that the CO2 that would be created in combustion is the same as it is recorded and previously used as a raw material for fuel synthesis. Renewable methane can also be formed as an essential element of road transport due to the versatility in diesel engines.
Sabatier -Reaction, key to carbon
To convert CO2 into CH4, the chemist analyzed the Sabatier -Response. A process that emerged in 1902 where carbon dioxide is combined with hydrogen to generate methane and water. Methane only reaches the clean fuel label when CO2 is obtained from the absorption of a vacant source and hydrogen has its origins in water electrolysis with renewable energy.
This reaction can only be performed, more than carbon and hydrogen dioxide is required. It also requires the use of a heterogeneous catalyst that makes the interaction between gas molecules easier and speeds up the chemical reaction. In turn, to start and maintain the reaction, energy must be provided to the system. Thus, the expert operated with the new photo termin terminatalysis discipline.
Prediction of CO2 to decipher
The chemist carried out various tests and the latter did it with catalysts based on ruthenium and nickel. He exposed them to concentrated sunlight to find the sabatier response. By making this procedure, the methane generated carbon dioxide without having to resort to a different energy contributions to reach the reaction temperature.
Finally, the specialist tested the effectiveness of these catalysts in real lighting environments. He started performing the chemical reaction with the help of sunlight as an energy source.
Now we are confronted with the discovery of the century. The holy grail of the Derbonization He was always among us: it was CO2. One of the causes of global warming can now be used to combat its effects. At the same time, experts say that a different type of pollution can be reduced by 6%: that caused by pellet microplastics.