Gwyneth Perseveranda

Researchers from the University of Bonn and the University of Montreal have made significant advancements by developing a catalyst that efficiently converts carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into methane (CH4) using electricity.


This innovation holds the potential for sustainable methane production and the creation of other vital chemical compounds. 

It could revolutionize the energy and chemical industries by offering sustainable solutions for the mass production of chemicals with a wide range of applications.

The study, titled “Hydrophobic assembly of molecular catalysts at the gas–liquid–solid interface drives highly selective CO2 electromethanation,” aims to enhance the conversion of CO2 into CH4 through electrocatalytic methods.

“We used electricity as the driving force instead,” explains Dr. Nikolay Kornienko. “By utilizing climate-friendly electricity, we can produce methane that doesn’t contribute to global warming.”

Kornienko recently moved from the University of Montreal to the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Bonn, where he continued and completed this groundbreaking research.

“The production of methane, which has the chemical formula CH4, is challenging because it requires a reaction between a gas and a liquid,” says Kornienko. 

The study focuses on the reaction between carbon dioxide and water, and in order to effectively bring these two compounds together, the researchers employed a gas diffusion electrode.

A gas diffusion electrode is designed to facilitate electrochemical reactions between gaseous and liquid phases.

In this process, the two oxygen atoms are separated from the carbon atom and replaced with four hydrogen atoms obtained from water.

However, a challenge arises because water tends to undergo a competing reaction, splitting into hydrogen and oxygen when exposed to electric current. 

Morgan McKee, Kornienko’s assistant, emphasizes that avoiding this competing reaction is essential for methane production.

This requires keeping away the water from the electrode, while still utilizing it in the process.

The new catalyst on the electrode enhances the reaction by capturing carbon dioxide and weakening its bonds with oxygen, allowing the oxygen atoms to be replaced by hydrogen atoms. 

However, the catalyst must manage the water to prevent unwanted side reactions.

To solve the problem, the researchers attached long molecular chains to the catalyst’s "active center," which repel water and make it hydrophobic. 

This method keeps water away from the electrode while also facilitating the transfer of hydrogen from water molecules to the active center, converting carbon dioxide into methane through multiple steps.

According to Kornienko, this process sets a new standard, achieving over 80% efficiency with minimal production of unwanted side products.

Although this method is not yet suitable for large-scale methane production, the principles can be adapted to other catalyst materials wide-scale applications.

This approach can also be applied to produce other chemical compounds, especially those used in plastics, promoting sustainability and making the production of plastic products emit less carbon emission.