There is still a desperate need to reduce carbon emissions and increase action to address the climate emergency; this is one of the many global challenges that researchers at Southampton are tackling head on.
Dr Daniel Stewart
EPSRC Impact Acceleration Research Fellow
Our new technology can directly replace petrochemicals - these are chemicals derived from fossil fuels used in the chemical manufacturing process - with repurposed CO2. By using waste CO2 in this way, it not only reduces emissions and fossil fuel reliance, but it also serves as a CO2 utilisation strategy, rather than just a storage solution.
"Our catalyst takes CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and turns it into polymers," says Daniel. "These polymers can be used in furniture, cars, and clothing. This means consumers will be able to buy products which are made from waste CO2, saving the planet while buying the products they need."
This technology was developed during Daniel's PhD, at the School of Chemistry, with co-founder of ViridiCO2, Professor Robert Raja.
