Advanced materials for global carbon dioxide recycling

CO2 emission increase inducing global warming occurs mostly with the growth of the economic activity. Global CO2 recycling can prevent global warming and supply abundant renewable energy. Global CO2 recycling consists of three district: The electricity is generated by solar cells on deserts. At coasts close to the deserts, the electricity is used for hydrogen production by seawater electrolysis and hydrogen is used for methane production by the reaction with CO2. Methane (CH4) is liquefied and transported to energy consuming districts where after CH4 is used as a fuel CO2 is recovered, liquefied and transported to the coasts close to the deserts. Key materials necessary for the global CO2 recycling are the anode and cathode for seawater electrolysis and the catalyst for CO2 conversion. All of them have been tailored by us. Amorphous and nanocrystalline nickel alloys are active cathodes for hydrogen production in seawater electrolysis. Anodically deposited nanocrystalline Mn–Mo and Mn–W oxides are the unique substance which can evolve oxygen with 100% efficiency without evolving chlorine in seawater electrolysis. Amorphous Ni–Zr alloys are excellent precursors of catalysts for conversion of CO2 into CH4 by the reaction with hydrogen at 1 atm. A prototype CO2 recycling plant to supply clean energy preventing global warming has been built on the roof of our Institute (IMR) in 1996 using these key materials and has been operating successfully.