What makes this system different to previous designs?<\/h3>\nThe team designed different catalysts, which were integrated into the light absorber. By changing the catalyst, the end product was still able to be changed.<\/p>\n
Tests on the reactor under normal temperature and pressure conditions showed that it could efficiently convert PET plastic bottles and CO2<\/sub> into different sustainable fuels, such as CO, syngas, or formate, as well as glycolic acid.<\/p>\n
The Cambridge-developed reactor produced these sustainable fuels at a rate that is much higher than conventional photocatalytic CO2<\/sub> reduction processes.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally, CO2<\/sub>\u00a0conversion requires a lot of energy, but with our system, basically you just shine a light at it, and it starts converting harmful products into something useful and sustainable,\u201d explained Rahaman. \u201cPrior to this system, we didn\u2019t have anything that could make high-value products selectively and efficiently.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s so special about this system is the versatility and tuneability \u2013 we\u2019re making fairly simple carbon-based molecules right now, but in future, we could be able to tune the system to make far more complex products, just by changing the catalyst,\u201d Bhattacharjee added.<\/p>\n
Addressing the climate crisis through reactor-produced sustainable fuels<\/h3>\n
Reisner and his team recently received new funding from the European Research Council to help the development of sustainable fuels through their solar-powered reactor. Over the next five years, they are aiming to further develop the reactor to produce more complex molecules.<\/p>\n
According to the researchers, similar techniques to this one could be used someday to develop an entirely solar-powered recycling plant.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeveloping a circular economy where we make useful, sustainable fuels from waste instead of throwing it into landfill is vital if we\u2019re going to meaningfully address the climate crisis and protect the natural world,\u201d Reisner concluded. \u201cAnd powering these solutions using the Sun means that we\u2019re doing it cleanly and sustainably.\u201d<\/p>\n
The research was supported in part by the European Union, the European Research Council, the Cambridge Trust, Hermann and Marianne Straniak Stiftung, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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