Anthropogenic Chemical Carbon Cycle for a Sustainable Future

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• 作者：George A. Olah ; G. K. Surya Prakash ; Alain Goeppert
• 刊名：Journal of the American Chemical Society
• 出版年：2011
• 出版时间：August 24, 2011
• 年：2011
• 卷：133
• 期：33
• 页码：12881-12898
• 全文大小：1178K
• 年卷期：v.133,no.33(August 24, 2011)
• ISSN：1520-5126

文摘

Nature鈥檚 photosynthesis uses the sun鈥檚 energy with chlorophyll in plants as a catalyst to recycle carbon dioxide and water into new plant life. Only given sufficient geological time, millions of years, can new fossil fuels be formed naturally. The burning of our diminishing fossil fuel reserves is accompanied by large anthropogenic CO₂ release, which is outpacing nature鈥檚 CO₂ recycling capability, causing significant environmental harm. To supplement the natural carbon cycle, we have proposed and developed a feasible anthropogenic chemical recycling of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is captured by absorption technologies from any natural or industrial source, from human activities, or even from the air itself. It can then be converted by feasible chemical transformations into fuels such as methanol, dimethyl ether, and varied products including synthetic hydrocarbons and even proteins for animal feed, thus supplementing our food chain. This concept of broad scope and framework is the basis of what we call the Methanol Economy. The needed renewable starting materials, water and CO₂, are available anywhere on Earth. The required energy for the synthetic carbon cycle can come from any alternative energy source such as solar, wind, geothermal, and even hopefully safe nuclear energy. The anthropogenic carbon dioxide cycle offers a way of assuring a sustainable future for humankind when fossil fuels become scarce. While biosources can play a limited role in supplementing future energy needs, they increasingly interfere with the essentials of the food chain. We have previously reviewed aspects of the chemical recycling of carbon dioxide to methanol and dimethyl ether. In the present Perspective, we extend the discussion of the innovative and feasible anthropogenic carbon cycle, which can be the basis of progressively liberating humankind from its dependence on diminishing fossil fuel reserves while also controlling harmful CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere. We also discuss in more detail the essential stages and the significant aspects of carbon capture and subsequent recycling. Our ability to develop a feasible anthropogenic chemical carbon cycle supplementing nature鈥檚 photosynthesis also offers a new solution to one of the major challenges facing humankind.