Yale Scientists Turn CO2 Into Clean Fuel With Manganese

Researchers at Yale University and the University of Missouri have cracked a major clean energy puzzle using an unlikely hero: manganese, a metal so common it costs pennies.

Their new catalyst converts carbon dioxide straight from the air into formate, a compound that can store hydrogen for fuel cells. The best part? It works better than most expensive precious metal alternatives that scientists have relied on for years.

The discovery matters because hydrogen fuel cells could power everything from cars to homes without producing harmful emissions. The catch has always been making and storing hydrogen affordably and safely.

Formate solves that problem. As the salt form of formic acid, it's already produced worldwide as a preservative and antibacterial agent. Scientists have long recognized its potential as a hydrogen carrier for fuel cells, but creating it sustainably has been the missing piece.

Right now, most formate production depends on fossil fuels, which defeats the purpose of clean energy. Making it directly from atmospheric carbon dioxide would reduce greenhouse gases while creating useful fuel at the same time.

The research team, led by postdoctoral researcher Justin Wedal and graduate student Kyler Virtue, redesigned the catalyst's structure to solve a persistent problem. Previous attempts with abundant metals failed because the catalysts broke down too quickly to be practical.

Their solution was elegantly simple. By adding an extra donor atom to the ligand design (the molecules that bond with the metal), they dramatically extended the catalyst's working life. The manganese catalyst now outlasts and outperforms most precious metal versions.

"I'm excited to see the ligand design pay off in such a meaningful way," said Wedal. His excitement is justified because this approach could reshape how we think about catalysts.

Yale professor Nilay Hazari, who chairs the university's chemistry department, emphasized the bigger picture. "Carbon dioxide utilization is a priority right now, as we look for renewable chemical feedstocks to replace feedstocks derived from fossil fuel," he explained.

The Ripple Effect

This breakthrough extends far beyond turning CO2 into fuel. The same design principles could improve catalysts used across the chemical industry, making countless processes cleaner and cheaper.

The team believes their ligand redesign strategy can be applied to other chemical reactions that currently rely on expensive or toxic metals. That means potential improvements in manufacturing everything from medicines to plastics.

The research, published in the journal Chem and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, represents exactly the kind of innovation climate scientists have been calling for: solutions that are both effective and scalable.

Instead of choosing between environmental responsibility and economic practicality, this discovery suggests we can have both.