Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have developed a method that turns waste carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable chemicals using water and electricity to power the process.
The technology can produce formate, the base compound for formic acid which is commonly used in agriculture, leather tanning, rubber manufacturing and other industrial processes.
“With basic ingredients and the push of a button, we are able to deliver chemicals that are hugely important for a number of industries,” said Professor Xiwang Zhang, who is part of the research team.
The modular design of the system means it can be produced on-site where it is needed and where CO2 is already emitted. This is useful for Australia, which currently imports almost all of its formic acid from China.
“That has implications for safety, supply security and emissions, particularly for industries that already produce CO2 as part of their operations,” said researcher Dr Mike Tebyetekera.
PhD student Rizal Evans, Professor Xiwang Zhang and Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa ©University of Queensland
The project is still in the testing phase and is not ready yet for commercial use. However, the team has seen interest from a company looking to produce formic acid as an antifreeze for its pipes.
The research is supported by the Australian Research Council through its Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of CO2.
The chemical was first isolated from ants, which store formic acid in their venom glands. Today, it is typically synthesised using methanol carbonylation – a process where carbon monoxide and methanol are reacted to produce methyl formate, which is then hydrolysed to produce formic acid.
Globally, most of the world’s formic acid is produced in China, which accounts for around 50 to 60% of total output. The rest of the production is mainly distributed throughout Europe (notably Germany and Finland) and the US.
