Korean Scientists Transform CO₂ Into Liquid Gold

Breakthrough CO₂ conversion technology achieves record-setting efficiency in producing high-value chemical fuels.

As climate change continues to escalate and carbon emissions hit record highs, the urgency to find effective ways to recycle carbon dioxide (CO2) has never been greater. With the global movement toward carbon neutrality gaining momentum, innovative methods for turning CO2 into useful fuels and chemicals are rapidly gaining interest.

Among these, converting CO2 into alcohol-based products is especially promising due to the high energy content and economic value of these compounds. Despite this potential, the process has long been hindered by low efficiency and challenges in scaling up to industrial levels.

Recently, a team of scientists from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea, led by Professor Dr. Jaeyoung Lee, Dr. Minjun Choi, and Dr. Sooan Bae, introduced a significant breakthrough in this area.

Their new approach to CO2-to-alcohol conversion sets a global performance record by combining exceptional efficiency with large-scale production capability. Published in Nature Catalysis, their research reveals an electrochemical technique that transforms CO2 into ‘allyl alcohol,’ a high-value compound with various industrial applications.

Challenges in CO₂ Reduction to High-Value Compounds

Electrochemical reduction technology of CO₂ is a key technology in the carbon-neutral era that could convert CO₂ (the main culprit of global warming) into useful substances. However, selectively producing high value-added compounds with three or more carbon atoms, such as allyl alcohol, poses several challenges. Firstly, current methods enable very low Faraday efficiency—less than 15% of the electrical energy used actually goes into producing the desired compound, while the rest is wasted. Secondly, the reaction path is complex and the intermediates have low stability, adding to the inefficiency of the process.

“Allyl alcohol (C₃H₆O) is a very useful substance that can be used in various chemical reactions,” explains Prof. Lee, “But producing these high value-added compounds in liquid state is difficult due to the complex carbon-carbon (C–C) bond formation and the low stability of the reaction intermediate.”

The technology developed by the researchers was remarkable. The team created a phosphorus-rich copper catalyst by integrating copper phosphide (CuP₂) into a membrane-electrode assembly alongside a nickel–iron (NiFe) oxidation catalyst. Using this catalyst in the electrochemical setup, they achieved a Faraday efficiency of 66.9%, which is about 4 times higher than the existing best technology (<15%). This high efficiency proves the excellent selectivity of the catalyst that minimizes the production of unnecessary byproducts and selectively produces only the desired substance.

In addition, the technology also recorded a partial current density of 735.4 mA cm⁻² and a production rate of 1643 μmol cm⁻² h⁻¹ in a process that can apply 1100 mA cm⁻² per unit area of ​​the electrode. These metrics represent the highest reported performance to date and also underscore its potential for large-scale applications.

Industrial Relevance and Broader Impact

As allyl alcohol is used as an essential raw material across various industries as plastics, adhesives, sterilizers, and fragrances, this technology could be a game-changer for its mass production.

Furthermore, the method was also unique in its mechanism. Where conventional methods operate through carbon monoxide pathway, this method revealed a new reaction pathway in which the carbon-carbon (C–C) bond was formed during the conversion of an intermediate group from formate to formaldehyde. This mechanism greatly increases the commercial value of the product because it directly produces liquids which are easier to store and transport.

This technology marks a breakthrough in the carbon neutrality era and is expected to open new avenues for economical electrochemical carbon capture and utilization technology by selectively converting CO₂ which has only one carbon atom into allyl alcohol, a multi-carbon high value-added compound (C₃₊) with three or more carbon atoms.

“This CO₂ conversion technology could open new business directions for the coal, petrochemical, and steel industries which are facing growing emission pressures,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Lee. “We see it as a key stepping stone toward a carbon-neutral era through scalable science and technology.”

By shifting the focus beyond conventional C₁ and C₂ targets, the study broadens the scope of CO₂ valorization toward more complex, higher‐value molecules. Dr. Choi clarified that while the approach holds promise, further integration into continuous‐flow and zero-gap membrane‐electrode assembly systems might enable scalable, sustainable production of liquid fuels and chemical precursors from CO₂—significantly reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and paving the way to a greener future.

Reference: “Selective formaldehyde condensation on phosphorus-rich copper catalyst to produce liquid C3+ chemicals in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction” by Minjun Choi, Sooan Bae, Yeongin Kim, Youjin Lee, Mokyeon Cho, Sinwoo Kang and Jaeyoung Lee, 22 May 2025, Nature Catalysis.
DOI: 10.1038/s41929-025-01341-6

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (NRF-2021K1A4A8A01079455). This research was also supported by the NRF, funded by MSIT (RS-2021-NR060081).

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