BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Like photosynthesis in plants, we could turn CO2 into molecules that are essential for day-to-day life. Every time you breathe or drive a motor vehicle, you would produce a key ingredient for generating fuels. "Our state-of-art transmission electron microscope is a unique tool to see extremely tiny features, such as single atoms," said Sooyeon Hwang, a scientist at CFN and a co-author on the paper. "Converting CO2 into usable energy: Scientists show that single nickel atoms are an efficient, cost-effective catalyst for converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals." Scientists have long sought a way to convert CO2 to CO, but traditional electrocatalysts cannot effectively initiate the reaction. Like photosynthesis in plants, we could turn CO 2 into molecules that are essential for day-to-day life. magine if carbon dioxide could easily be converted into usable energy. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. “Photons, or particles of light, interact with the electrons in the nickel atoms to do two things,” Stavitski said. Long Island, NY, Brookhaven operates large-scale facilities for Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory are part of a scientific collaboration that has identified a new electrocatalyst that efficiently converts CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO), a highly energetic molecule. Klaus Attenkofer, also a Brookhaven scientist and a co-author on the paper, added, “The surface of a metal has one energy potential—it is uniform. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. (631) 344-8000, Brookhaven Science Associates manages and operates Brookhaven Now, scientists are one step closer. To analyze the chemical complexity of the material, the scientists used beamline 8-ID at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)—also a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven Lab. One of the chief challenges of sequestering carbon dioxide is that it is relatively chemically unreactive. Based on the results from the studies at Harvard, NSLS-II, CFN, and additional institutions, the scientists discovered single nickel atoms catalyzed the CO2 conversion reaction with a maximal of 97 percent efficiency. In addition to the unique energetic properties of single atoms, the CO2 conversation reaction was facilitated by the interaction of the nickel atoms with a surrounding sheet of graphene. Another reason is because its surface can be easily poisoned by CO molecules if any are produced.". Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The ultra-bright x-ray light at NSLS-II enabled the scientists to “see” a detailed view of the material’s inner structure. Scientists have long sought a way to convert CO2 to CO, but traditional electrocatalysts cannot effectively initiate the reaction. Pictured from left to right are Klaus Attenkofer, Dong Su, Sooyeon Hwang, and Eli Stavitski. (2018, March 1). DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory. Scientists turn carbon emissions into usable energy by Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology Schematic illustration of Hybrid Na-CO2 System and its reaction mechanism. "Single atoms prefer to produce CO, rather than performing the competing HER, because the surface of a bulk metal is very different from individual atoms," Stavitski said. “You can react it with water to produce energy-rich hydrogen gas, or with hydrogen to produce useful chemicals, such as hydrocarbons or alcohols. "To apply this technology to real applications in the future, we are currently aimed at producing this single atom catalyst in a cheap and large-scale way, while improving its performance and maintaining its efficiency," said Wang. “Single atoms prefer to produce CO, rather than performing the competing HER, because the surface of a bulk metal is very different from individual atoms,” Stavitski said. Anchoring the atoms to graphene enabled the scientists to tune the catalyst and suppress HER. Another reason is because its surface can be easily poisoned by CO molecules if any are produced.”. Like photosynthesis in plants, we could turn CO2 into molecules that are essential for … "You can react it with water to produce energy-rich hydrogen gas, or with hydrogen to produce useful chemicals, such as hydrocarbons or alcohols. Every time you breathe or drive a motor vehicle, you would produce a key ingredient for generating fuels. Every time you breathe or drive a motor vehicle, you would produce a key ingredient for generating fuels. “Our state-of-art transmission electron microscope is a unique tool to see extremely tiny features, such as single atoms,” said Sooyeon Hwang, a scientist at CFN and a co-author on the paper. If there were a sustainable, cost-efficient route to transform CO2 to CO, it would benefit society greatly.”. National Laboratory. Converting CO2 into usable energy: Scientists show that single nickel atoms are an efficient, cost-effective catalyst for converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals. Now, scientists are one step closer. Scientists turn carbon emissions into usable energy. So, to convert CO2 to CO in a cost-effective way, scientists used an entirely new form of catalyst. ScienceDaily. "Single atoms are usually unstable and tend to aggregate on the support," added Dong Su, also a CFN scientist and a co-author on the paper. Single atoms of nickel, however, produce a different result. (Nanowerk News) Imagine if carbon dioxide (CO 2) could easily be converted into usable energy. Every time you breathe or drive a motor vehicle, you would produce a key ingredient for generating fuels. The Laboratory's almost 3,000 studies in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, applied Unlike other batteries, catalysts are contained in water and are connected by a lead wire to a cathode. Like photosynthesis in plants, we could turn CO 2 into molecules that are essential for day-to-day life. “They send the electrons to higher energy states and, by mapping those energy states, we can understand the electronic configuration and the chemical state of the material. Like photosynthesis in plants, we could turn CO2 into molecules that are essential for day-to-day life. Brookhaven scientists are pictured at NSLS-II beamline 8-ID, where they used ultra-bright x-ray light to "see" the chemical complexity of a new catalytic material. "They send the electrons to higher energy states and, by mapping those energy states, we can understand the electronic configuration and the chemical state of the material. ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the. 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