Efficient Conversion of Greenhouse Gas of CO2 into Carbon Products with Desirable Structures via Molten Carbonates Electrolysis. Issue 14 (1st January 2017) - Jiang, Mengpei
Abstract : Electrochemical transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) has been cited as one effective means to close present carbon cycle and resolve increasing ambient CO2 concentration deriving from our high demands for energy and over-reliance on fossil fuels. However, efficient conversion of wasted CO2 into valuable chemicals is still a big challenge. In this paper, atmospheric CO2 is facilely transformed to carbon materials with desirable nanostructures, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), honeycomb-like carbon and carbon spheres in a high-yield and scalable molten salts electrolysis setup. Our findings demonstrate the significant dependence of carbon structure on electrolyte composition, electrode materials, and applied temperature. Overall, this work provides a novel carbon negative capture and conversion strategy where carbon fuel or even valued nanostructured carbon materials are acquired with greenhouse gas of CO2 as the final carbon source.