Posted on 07/16/2007 6:59:23 PM PDT by Thalos
Chemists at the University of California, San Diego have created a device that uses sunlight to transform harmful CO2 gas into fuel that could replace all the gasoline used in transportation.
Clifford Kubiak, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Aaron Sathrum have developed a prototype device that can capture energy from the sun, convert it to electrical energy and split carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen.
The amazing process produces CO (carbon monoxide) which can be processed by bacterial fermentation to produce ethanol, and massive amounts industrial chemicals used to produce plastics. By splitting CO2 you can save fuel, produce useful chemicals and eliminate global warming greenhouse gases.
The device designed by Kubiak and Sathrum to split carbon dioxide utilizes a semiconductor and two thin layers of catalysts. It splits carbon dioxide to generate carbon monoxide and oxygen in a three-step process. The first step is the capture of solar energy photons by the semiconductor. The second step is the conversion of optical energy into electrical energy by the semiconductor. The third step is the deployment of electrical energy to the catalysts. The catalysts convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on one side of the device and to oxygen on the other side.
The US uses about 400 million gallon of gasoline a day and produces about 50 million tons of CO2. The goal now is to scale this process up to replace that amount of gasoline and convert most of the manmade CO2 gases in the US.
Let’s see here. We rid this world’s air of harmful CO2 and replace it with beneficial carbon monoxide. This can only be proposed from a California school.
We’re Saved!!!
What are they doing with the carbon monoxide again?
I think the article says it captures the CO and makes fuel from it.
Another way to do the same thing is to use microbes to convert the light energy through photosynthesis to covalent bonds in sugars, then convert the sugars (fixed carbon which comes from CO2) to diesel.
The only thing we have to do is buy diesel vehicles.
What are the trees suppose to do?
I guarantee - without any doubt or question - that no matter how carbon emissions or global warming are “solved”, IT WILL NOT SATISFY THE ECO-NAZIS.
They will instantly find something else to moan about. They will continue to make all the same demands they are making now: that we change our lives, pay more taxes, and obey their stupid policies.
Plus, we get the additional benefit of less anthropogenic CO2 since the carbon monoxide should kill most of the Earth’s inhabitants.
Algore needs to lead by example... he should mount one of these puppies on the roof of his house.
If this were to fly, it wouldn't matter because we'd all be dead.
Dang! Beat me by THIS much...
Assuming, of course, that we were in trouble from this in the first place.
Trees? They can just go suck on sticks.
Kubiak and Sathrum need to watch their backs if their idea is good and not public enough to survive them.
Its interesting that cars’ catalytic converters convert CO into CO2.
..but but but, Algore will lose money with his carbon credit company
You’re right. If this did work, it would put a big crimp in the UN’s wealth transfer scheme—which is what Global Warming really is. Look for the inventors to be discredited and maybe conveniently disappear.
Nothing new. Google “Producer gas” and see what turns up.
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