Chinese scientists convert CO2 to high-yield glucose

Schematic diagram of in vitro carbon dioxide synthesis of high energy long-chain food molecules. (Photo: SIAT)

(ECNS) -- Chinese scientists have created a hybrid electro-biosystem, coupling spatially separate carbon dioxide (CO2) electrolysis with yeast fermentation, which efficiently converts carbon dioxide to glucose with a high yield.

The achievement was jointly completed by a joint research team led by Xia Chuan from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Yu Tao from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zeng Jie from the University of Science and Technology of China.

The scientists first converted carbon dioxide into acetic acid. They developed a porous solid electrolyte reactor with thick anion exchange membranes for pure acetic acid solution separation and purification. That solved the problem of acetate produced by conventional electrocatalytic devices containing electrolyte salts.

The paper was published in Nature-Catalysis on Thursday.

The research provides a new method for synthesizing "food" in an artificial or semi-artificial way, said Li Can, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences.