single-crystal copper electrodes tagged posts

Stanford scientists have designed a copper catalyst that produces ethanol from carbon dioxide and water. Credit: Mark Shwartz/Stanford University

Most cars and trucks in the US run on a blend of 90% gasoline and 10% ethanol, a renewable fuel made primarily from fermented corn. But to produce the 14 billion gallons of ethanol consumed annually by American drivers requires millions of acres of farmland. A recent discovery by Stanford University scientists could lead to a new, more sustainable way to make ethanol without corn or other crops. This promising technology has 3 basic components: water, CO2 and electricity delivered through a copper catalyst. The results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

“One of our long-range goals is to produce renewable...