A Study of Charge Transfer Processes in the Catalyzed Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol and Higher Order Alcohols

Princeton University, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) program supports the research project of Prof. Andrew Bocarsly of the Department of Chemistry at Princeton University. Prof. Bocarsly and his students will study the mechanism of electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to methanol. This 6-electron reduction process is very complex and its mechanism is not fully understood. Increasing our mechanistic understanding of this reduction process may lead to new ways to convert CO2 to liquid fuel, which would be a great advance in the field of energy and sustainability. The study will provide graduate and undergraduate students with excellent training opportunities in a field of great societal importance. Prof. Bocarsly will also be involved in several outreach activities at Princeton aiming to attract K-12 students and their teachers to science.