(image: Korea Bizwire)
DAEJEON, Nov. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology announced Tuesday that researchers had developed a catalyst processing technology that produces alpha-olefins, a high-end chemical substance, using greenhouse gas.
Alpha-olefins are used to make detergents, lubricating oil, cosmetics and plastic.
Plastic made with alpha-olefins is stronger than other plastic products. Similarly, lubricating oil containing alpha-olefins is regarded as of premium quality due to its excellent anti-corrosion capabilities.
While the production of alfa-olefins is usually costly and complex since it requires the production of hyperpure ethylenes and uses expensive metals as catalysts.
The research team developed new technology that uses greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, hydrogen, and other industrial emissions instead of ethylenes and expensive catalysts to produce alpha-olefins.
Unlike the conventional production of alpha-olefins, the new processing technology does not emit carbon dioxide, and only costs one-fourth of the traditional production method.
Catalysts were produced from affordable iron ores. For instance, iron oxide was used to process carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, and cementites were used to process carbon monoxide into alfa-olefins.
The research team also succeeded in levelling the layer of iron oxides and cementites across each catalyst by adding sodium.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
