Carbon Dioxide Splitting and Smart Furan Chemistry

Carbon Dioxide Splitting

The large-scale, anthropogenic release of greenhouse gases, particularly CO₂, into the atmosphere is a major contributor to global warming. In an effort to decarbonise the atmosphere, carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies aim to remove CO₂ from point sources or the atmosphere itself and convert it into valuable chemicals. However, CCU faces an upper limit, as the annual production of chemicals is orders of magnitude smaller than the cumulative emissions of CO₂ that we seek to offset.

In this context, there is an urgent need to develop a highly scalable method for storing CO₂ in a handleable, inert form. Inspired by the transformation of CO₂ and H₂O to carbohydrates [C•H₂O] and O₂ during photosynthesis, our research group to investigates the photocatalytic and scalable splitting of CO₂ into C and O₂. Although this transformation is thermodynamically extremely challenging, it offers great potential for addressing the global warming if it is successful.

Smart Furan Chemistry

Furans are playing an increasingly important role in the shift from fossil-derived chemicals to sustainable, bio-based fine chemicals. Key intermediates such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural can be produced from lignocellulosic biomass, serving as precursors to more secondary platform chemicals. These renewable platform molecules present chemists with unique opportunities to develop new synthetic strategies for low-volume, high-value fine chemicals.

Despite its importance, furan-based chemistry remains significantly underdeveloped relative to its potential future impact. In our research group, we aim to uncover the next generation of furan reactivity, opening new avenues for innovation in biobased chemistry.

Selected publications