UTILIZATION OF WASTE CARBON DIOXIDE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT USEFUL CHEMICALS

Abstract

In the modern world, the major dilemma that the world is facing is of Global warming. This concern is because of constantly increasing concentrations of green house gases in the environment.CO2 is the main constituent of green house gases and is being emitted continuously from industries. Its emission through various sources including power plants and industrial sources like cement industries is contributing excessively in increasing the CO2 atmospheric loading. This is resulting in gradual increase of average earth’s temperature. According to latest research reports, it is forecasted that in developing countries the emission of CO2 is expected to grow rapidly in next 15 years and would surpass emission of industrialized countries near 2018. Now such methods and techniques are needed that will contribute positively to either reduce the CO2 atmospheric loading or utilize the produced CO2 for some reproductive purpose. The CO2 after formation in different industries and other sources should not be released into the atmosphere rather it can be captured and can be used for other constructive applications. Here, in this work the captured CO2 from different sources including power plant, cement industry etc is converted into useful chemicals that are being used in different industries and house hold activities. The gaseous CO2 is made to react with freshly prepared CH3MgBr (methyl magnesium bromide) to form acetic acid (CH3COOH) at ambient temperature and pressure conditions. Iodine crystals were used as catalyst as well as it improves the activation of magnesium turnings. Next, the produced acetic acid is reduced by using reducing characteristics of NaBH4 in combination with other chemical compounds like iodine (I2) and hafnium tetrachloride (HfCl4). There are other reducing agents with better reducing abilities like Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) but NaBH4 is easily available, cheap and has effective reducing qualities. The produced acetic acid and ethanol can separately be used as beneficial chemical compounds