UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The latest episode of the "Growing Impact" podcast explores how researchers are using advanced computation to design catalysts that can accelerate the process of converting carbon dioxide into useful products. Nelson Yaw Dzade, an assistant professor in the John and Willie Leone Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State, is leading the project that is also looking to nature for inspiration on materials to use as catalysts. 

“CO2 conversion is difficult, and therefore designing catalysts is equally difficult, so that is why we are turning to computations to help in this process," Dzade said. “This difficulty stems from CO2 being very stable and inert. However, there are biological enzymes that are capable of both activating the molecule and converting it into a range of organic molecules under moderate conditions.”  

Dzade said because of the CO2 molecule’s stability, part of the process must be to weaken the bond in the molecule. If this process is done without a catalyst, it is inefficient and energy intensive.  

“The job of the catalyst basically is to speed up the rate of the conversion,” he said. “Speeding up the conversion is important because if we speed up the process, it decreases our energy input.” 

The research team is using iron sulfide to bind and activate the CO2 molecule. This changes the state to a precursor, which is an intermediate substance that participates in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. 

“Once the CO2 becomes a precursor, we can change it to a wide range of other chemicals and fuels,” he said.  

Dzade said some of the chemicals that CO2 could be converted into include formic acid, ethylene, methane, ethanol and methanol. Each of these chemicals is in demand and used in a wide variety of products or as fuels. 

“Catalytic conversion of CO2 into other fuels and valuable chemicals is going to be highly beneficial to the environment, the economy and to the global supply of energy,” he said. "We would see one of the major gases responsible for climate change become an important feedstock for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry." 

“Growing Impact” is a podcast by the Institute of Energy and the Environment. It features Penn State researchers who have been awarded IEE seed grants and discusses their foundational work as they further their projects. The podcast is available on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Apple, Amazon and Spotify.