Chung-Ang University Develops Process Technology Utilizing Carbon Dioxide

Achieving Both Economic and Environmental Goals
Through CO₂ Utilization (CCU)

On the 21st, Chung-Ang University announced that Professor Lee Cheol-jin's research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Intelligent Energy Industry Convergence developed a process technology that creates economic value by utilizing carbon dioxide and contributes to achieving carbon neutrality.

This technology is attracting attention because it goes beyond merely reducing greenhouse gases generated across industries, securing both economic feasibility and sustainability simultaneously.

Future Cost-Carbon Footprint Forecast for CCU Products (Formic Acid) by Fuel Source Photo

The research was conducted jointly by Professor Lee's team and researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Texas. The results are scheduled to be published in the April issue of the international journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, which has an impact factor (IF) of 16.3. The research team optimized the design of a carbon capture and utilization (CCU) process for capturing and utilizing carbon dioxide from the air and evaluated the marketability and carbon reduction effects of 11 chemical products, including calcium formate, formic acid, and methanol.

It is notable that the study proposed a prioritization of products suitable for large-scale application while simultaneously reducing process costs and environmental burdens. In particular, under future scenarios utilizing carbon obtained through direct air capture (DAC) and green hydrogen, the analysis indicated that products with large market sizes, such as urea and methanol, are more promising economically.

Professor Lee stated, “For carbon neutrality, CCU technology that satisfies both economic feasibility and eco-friendliness is essential, and low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen supply is key in this process. We hope this research will help set concrete directions for technology development in industry and academia and support national carbon neutrality policies.”

This research was conducted with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea’s ‘Carbon-to-X Technology Development Project’ and the Yang Young Foundation. It is expected to be widely applied in various fields in the future, as it presents practical solutions for efficiently utilizing carbon dioxide in industrial settings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.