Science one step closer to less energy intensive artificial photosynthesis

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2011

Artificial photosynthesis is the process with the main purpose of converting carbon dioxide into some useful chemical(s), most notably fuel. The primary goal of artificial photosynthesis is not to find new ways to get more fuel but to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions and reduce climate change impact. The main problem with artificial photosynthesis has always been the fact that this process is too energy intensive. This mainly refers to the first step of artificial photosynthesis, namely converting carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide because this process requires so much electricity that the end result is that the bigger amount of energy is being used to produce the fuel than can be stored in the fuel.

Because of this issue science has a demanding task of finding a right catalyst that will improve artificial photosynthesis and make it less energy intensive.The latest research on this field comes from the University of Illinois where scientists have used an ionic liquid to catalyze the reaction which has significantly reduced the amount of energy needed to turn carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide because the ionic liquids stabilize the intermediates in the reaction so that less electricity is needed to complete the conversion.

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This article interested me a lot because everyday I reflect on how much I am contributing on climate change by using electricity and ¨producing¨carbon dioxide emissions. I worry a lot about thins things because I feel that I cannot make a change, but I see that everyday more people are worrying about this things , and this article talks about projects and things groups of people are coming up with to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the improvement of artificial photosynthesis and to make it less energy intensive. I really like knowing about projects that people are coming up with of how to make our Earth greener, so this article talked to me about one of the projects and I find it very interesting.

Obviously I can connect this article with my daily life because every day more and more companies, schools, houses, etc. are trying to reduce Co2 emissions and less polluting. Us, as individuals, are worrying more about this probloems because the changes in our environment are starting to affect us, so this article is giving us ideas of how to help our home (Earth.)

This article uses the 3 areas of interactions. Environment: This is about how our environment is affected and the plans and projects of how to resolve this problmes. Human Ingenuity: New creations humans are doing to help our planet become greener. Health and Social Education or Community and Service: This article educates people about the problems we are having now and the solutions for it and the group of poeple that are doing this projects are contributing to community and service because they are helping the community to have a better place to live. :)

BE GREEN!