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Scientists find way to convert CO ² into biofuel

Singapore: Scientists in Singapore say they have found a way to turn planetwarming CO ² into clean-burning methanol using a process that uses less energy than previous attempts.

    The scientists at the state-backed Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology said they used non-toxic organocatalysts to make ethanol. The team, led by Yugen Zhang, used N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), an organocatalyst, in the chemical reaction with carbon dioxide. The process also used hydrosilane, a combination of silica and hydrogen.

    Hydrosilane provides hydrogen, which bonds with carbon dioxide in a reduction reaction. "This CO ² reduction is efficiently catalyzed by NHCs even at room temperature," Zhang said. "Methanol can be easily obtained from the product of the carbon dioxide reaction," Zhang added.

source : times of india