Scientists mimic photosynthesis to produce ethylene

The advance from the National University of Singapore (NUS) produces ethylene at room temperature and pressure using benign chemicals, and could be scaled-up to provide an alternative to current ethylene production.

The development led by assistant Professor Jason Yeo Boon Siang from the Department of Chemistry at NUS Faculty of Science and the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) was first published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Ethylene is an important chemical feedstock produced in large quantities for manufacturing plastics, rubber and fibres. Over 170 million tonnes of ethylene was produced worldwide in 2015, and the global demand is expected to exceed 220 million tonnes by 2020.

Current industrial production of ethylene employs steam cracking of fossil fuels at between 750°C to 950°C. The current method also emits about two tonnes of carbon dioxide for every tonne of ethylene produced.

Recognising the need for a more eco-friendly method, Asst Prof Yeo and his team began investigating renewable energy to produce ethylene. The team first designed a copper catalyst in 2015 that could generate ethylene from water and carbon dioxide when powered by electricity.