Researchers in Australia and Japan are working to produce more efficient synthetic diesel

Since thermodynamic compounds simply cannot disappear, you have to work on them alternatives to fossil fuels To reduce the release of carbon dioxide₂ in the atmosphere. One of these alternatives is synthetic fuels or Emission/capacity to liquid (PTL), which it can achieve starting from renewable sources net zero emissions.

An alternative to fossil hydrocarbons is oxymethylene ethers, specifically Dimethoxymethane (NS₃NS₈NS₂), which is the simplest of all and is used to replace diesel. It is usually achieved with formaldehyde (CH₂Q) y methanol (CH₃OH) of natural gas or methane (CH₄). Researchers from Monash University and Hokkaido University are seeking to remove natural gas from the equation, because it is also a fossil fuel.

The developed method was able to produce dimethoxymethane in a single reactor, starting with carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methanol. Both hydrogen and carbon dioxide can be converted into methanol using renewable energy, shutting down the carbon cycle and not producing new emissions. Studies are moving in this direction.

To achieve the chemical reaction that converts hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methanol into dimethoxymethane, catalyst. Researchers have developed a catalyst based on a ruthenium nanoparticle with a unique pore structure. PhD student Waqar Ahmed explains: “The size of the ruthenium particle, along with the pore size and acidity of the catalyst, are very important for this reaction to take place”.

The importance of research lies not in the method itself, but in the performance. “By carefully controlling these parameters, we were able to achieve the highest yields of dimethoxymethane known in the scientific literature.”Ahmed adds. The reaction occurs at a lower temperature than known methods, so it requires less energy. research results It was published in the Journal of Energy Chemistry.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited in India took an interest in this research and provided funding for the project for potential industrialization. This support will be necessary to make this work a reality. Obviously, when using dimethoxymethane-based fuel in a heat engine, CO₂ It will be launched again, but as previously captured, net emissions are zero, excluding the inevitable consumption of oil …