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Nov 27, 2024

Off-the-shelf thermoelectric generators can upgrade CO2 into chemicals. The combination could help us colonize Mars

Posted by in categories: chemistry, space, sustainability

Readily available thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can power CO2 conversion, according to a proof-of-concept study by chemists at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

The findings open up the intriguing possibility that the temperature differentials encountered in an array of environments—from a typical geothermal installation on Earth to the cold, desolate surface of Mars—could power the conversion of CO2 into a range of useful fuels and chemicals.

“The environment on Mars really got me interested in the long-term potential of this technology combination,” says Dr. Abhishek Soni, postdoctoral research fellow at UBC and first author of the paper published in Device.

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