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MIT researchers propose mechanism for overcoming bottleneck in electroreduction of CO2

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Researchers at MIT have identified , quantified, and modeled a major reason for the poor performance of electroreduction processes to convert CO 2 to fuel or other useful chemicals. Depending on the material choice for the electrocatalysis, a certain variety of products is expected from the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR).

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MIT researchers identify viable anode material for molten oxide electrolysis for lower CO2 steel production

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Researchers at MIT have identified inexpensive metal alloy materials that can serve as anodes for molten oxide electrolysis (MOE)—an electrometallurgical technique that enables the direct production of metal in the liquid state from oxide feedstock. The challenges for iron production are threefold. —Allanore et al.

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MIT researchers develop oxygen permeable membrane that converts CO2 to CO

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MIT researchers have developed a new system that could potentially be used for converting power plant emissions of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, and thence into useful fuels for cars, trucks, and planes, as well as into chemical feedstocks for a wide variety of products.

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MIT researchers engineer stable copper-gold nanoparticle catalysts for lower energy consumption CO2 reduction

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Researchers at MIT engineered nanoparticles of copper (Cu) mixed with gold (Au), which is resistant to corrosion and oxidation, and measured the oxidation rate of the AuCu NPs as a function of composition. Kendall Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, postdoc Zichuan Xu and Erica Lai ‘14.

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DOE awards $35M to 15 projects in ARPA-E ECOSynBio program to reduce carbon footprint of biofuel production

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Many biofuels, including ethanol, biodiesel and other products derived from organic material (biomass), are almost exclusively produced via fermentation. Carbon-Negative Chemical Production Platform - $4,160,262.57. Acetate as a Platform for Carbon-Negative Production of Renewable Fuels and Chemicals - $3,421,197.10.

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MIT researchers advancing development of supercritical water upgrading of heavy crude; lower cost, energy use and CO2

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Findings by MIT researchers could help advance the commercialization of supercritical water technology for the desulfurization and upgrading of high-sulfur crude oil into high-value, cleaner fuels such as gasoline without using hydrogen—a major change in refining technology that would reduce costs, energy use, and CO 2 emissions.

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MIT study finds carbon prices more cost-effective than fuel economy regs at reducing CO2 emissions; fuel economy regs more efficient at reducing fuel use

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Researchers at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change have compared the worldwide economic, environmental, and energy impacts of currently planned fuel economy standards (extended to the year 2050) with those of region-specific carbon prices designed to yield identical CO 2 emissions reductions. Karplus, Valerie J.;