CO₂ Reimagined

Content

• From Paris to Glasgow

  The catalysis of CO₂ conversion is a research topic ripe with potential to contribute towards a net-zero future. This Focus issue features a collection of content dedicated to progressing the fundamental science and practical implementation of this technology to advance climate goals.

  Editorial18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  A breath of fresh air

  Staff Sheehan is a co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer at Air Company, a Brooklyn-based startup that uses heterogeneous catalysis to transform CO₂ into value-added products. Here, talking to Nature Catalysis, he takes us on a journey from vodka and hand sanitizer into outer space.

  • Benjamin Martindale

  Q&A18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  Electrifying start-up

  David Wakerley and Sarah Lamaison are co-founders of Dioxycle, a Bordeaux-based company that is developing scaled-up CO₂ electrolysis systems. Here, they talk to Nature Catalysis about navigating the green tech start-up space during this time of tremendous change for the world.

  • Benjamin Martindale

  Q&A18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide for the Paris goals

  Electrocatalytic conversion of CO₂ into useful products can contribute to the Paris goals on the basis of abundant low-carbon power and technological advances. From R&D to policy, areas are highlighted in which coordinated efforts can support commercialization of such capture and catalytic technologies while deploying the required infrastructure.

  • Sarah M. Jordaan
  • Chao Wang

  Comment18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  High-purity and high-concentration liquid fuels through CO₂ electroreduction

  Liquid fuels produced by electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction are costly to separate from liquid electrolytes in a conventional cell. This Perspective identifies the need for novel cell designs that can directly produce high-concentration and high-purity products and discusses the progress towards this goal using porous solid electrolytes.

  • Peng Zhu
  • Haotian Wang

  Perspective18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  Coupling electrochemical CO₂ conversion with CO₂ capture

  The practical implementation of CO₂ electrocatalysis is premised on the availability of captured CO₂—a consideration that is often overlooked. This Perspective presents several concepts for integrating CO₂ capture with electrochemical CO₂ conversion for the enhancement of overall efficiency.

  • Ian Sullivan
  • Andrey Goryachev
  • Chengxiang Xiang

  Perspective18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  Solar methanol energy storage

  Methanol is a leading candidate for storage of solar-energy-derived renewable electricity as energy-dense liquid fuel, yet there are different approaches to achieving this goal. This Perspective comparatively assesses indirect CO- and direct CO₂-based solar strategies and identifies the conditions under which the former becomes economically viable.

  • Athanasios A. Tountas
  • Geoffrey A. Ozin
  • Mohini M. Sain

  Perspective18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis
• 

  Uniting biological and chemical strategies for selective CO₂ reduction

  Electrochemical CO₂ reduction is a complex process with many competing products, yet nature has evolved ways to overcome these issues. This Perspective makes connections between the motifs observed in nature and strategies that can be employed in synthetic systems for the advancement of selectivity in CO₂ reduction.

  • Hannah S. Shafaat
  • Jenny Y. Yang

  Perspective18 Nov 2021 Nature Catalysis