Investigations of carbonic acid, dimethyl carbonate and the adsorption of CO2 in framework solids

Abstract

Carbon dioxide is present in the Earths atmosphere and is naturally a part of the carbon cycle. Its increasing concentration in the atmosphere is a matter of serious concern. Apart from attempts to reduce its release into the atmosphere at source, an alternate solution is to use it as a renewable source similar to sunlight, water, wind, etc. It is easily available and has advantages like it is non-toxic, abundant and economical. As a carbon source, it can be converted into useful compounds for diverse applications. The constraint in the chemical modification of carbon dioxide is its stability. Being the most oxidised form of carbon, it is chemically quite inert and stable both thermodynamically and kinetically. Thus, a metal catalyst or high energy source is required to activate it, which makes the production of chemicals from CO2 expensive relative to traditional synthetic methods. Research on the activation of carbon dioxide could make the former processes economically viable.