Graphene Quantum Dots Give Rice University Scientists A Eureka Moment

Climate change visionaries and scientists have always endeavored to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions with a view to mitigate its harmful effects on climate change.

According to scientists, if it is possible to convert some parts of the carbon dioxide that is emitted into fuel, this is touted to be a great move toward cutting the increasing levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

Rice University scientists did experience a eureka moment when they found this property in graphene quantum dots. They found that the graphene quantum dots can recycle carbon dioxide into fuel rather than enter the atmosphere.

The study team from Rice University conducted experiments using graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) and found that they are effective in making complex hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide. The research team led by scientist Pulickel Ajayan used the method of electrocatalysis to convert carbon dioxide into ethylene and ethanol.

Ajayan said that graphene quantum dots are actually sheets of carbon atoms that are split into particles, which are nanometers wide and thick. When nitrogen atoms are added to these dots and an electric current is applied, different chemical reactions occur after carbon dioxide is introduced, New Atlas reveals

"It is surprising because people have tried all different kinds of catalysts. And there are only a few real choices such as copper," Ajayan said. "I think what we found is fundamentally interesting, because it provides an efficient pathway to screen new types of catalysts to convert carbon dioxide to higher-value products."

Tests showed that NGQDs were able to reduce carbon dioxide by up to 90 percent and convert 45 percent into either ethylene or alcohol and was as effective as copper electrocatalysts, according to R&D.

"Our findings suggest that the pyridinic nitrogen (a basic organic compound) sitting at the edge of graphene quantum dots leads the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons," said Rice University postdoctoral researcher Jingjie Wu, co-lead author of the paper. "The next task is further increasing nitrogen concentration to help increase the yield of hydrocarbons."

The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.