In a major clean-energy breakthrough, scientists in South Korea have developed a powerful new catalyst that turns carbon dioxide into fuel ingredients more efficiently - and at much lower temperatures - than ever before.

The research team, led by Dr. Kee Young Koo at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, has engineered a copper-based catalyst that works at just 400°C, delivering faster conversion and better stability than conventional materials that typically require extremely high heat. The study was published in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy.

Why This Matters

This innovation tackles one of the biggest challenges in sustainable energy - recycling CO2 into usable fuel. Using a reaction called reverse water-gas shift (RWGS), the catalyst converts CO2 into carbon monoxide, a key building block for synthetic fuels like e-fuels and methanol.

Those fuels can power aircraft, ships, and industrial systems - sectors that are hard to electrify - making this discovery crucial for a net-zero future.

How the Breakthrough Works

Traditional catalysts tend to weaken or produce unwanted methane at lower temperatures. The new hybrid design, made from copper, magnesium, and iron, resists clumping and avoids side reactions, staying highly active for over 100 hours of continuous use.

The result?1.7× faster CO production  1.5× higher yield More efficient than even platinum catalysts - at a fraction of the cost

From Lab to Real-World Fuel

This technology has the potential to scale into commercial synthetic-fuel production, offering a cleaner path to turn captured CO2 into energy, fuel pipelines, and industrial feedstocks. With continued development, it could accelerate the world's shift to carbon-neutral aviation fuels and green industrial systems.

MENAFN05112025007385015968ID1110299965