IIT Guwahati researchers have created a photocatalyst converting CO₂ to methanol using sunlight. This addresses surging energy demands while curbing emissions in a net-zero era.
Led by Prof. Mahuya De, Department of Chemical Engineering, alongside research scholar Nayan Moni Baishya, the breakthrough—published in the Journal of Materials Science—targets petroleum fuel reliance, a primary CO₂ source fueling global warming.
Global efforts using graphitic carbon nitride, a low-cost, metal-free material, faltered due to rapid energy loss and low yields (typically <1 mmol/g·h methanol). The team overcame this by incorporating a few layers of graphene, which improved the photocatalytic energy retention of carbon nitride under visible light/sunlight exposure. It kept the catalyst active for a longer duration, resulting in better light absorption and improved charge generation.
Prof. Mahuya De noted, “The present work is expected to contribute towards mitigating environmental problems with simultaneous contribution towards green energy. Converting carbon dioxide to greener fuel using solar energy is a promising technology towards this direction.”
The 15 wt% graphene composite achieved peak performance: 2.5 mmol/g·h methanol yield (150% over pure carbon nitride), 85% improved charge separation, and stability over 20 hours under sunlight—vital for scaling. The research is at the laboratory stage, pending further validation before commercial readiness.
With applications in thermal power, cement, steel, and petrochemicals, it supports circular carbon economies. Future work focuses on industrial scaling and durable CO₂-to-fuel systems.
