Trace Additive Cleans Up Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
A dash of bromomethane curbs carbon dioxide emissions from an industrial process used to make olefins from syngas.
By Mark Peplow, special to C&EN. The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process has been used for almost a century to convert syngas—a blend of carbon monoxide and hydrogen—to liquid hydrocarbons.
Researchers in China have discovered that adding a trace of bromomethane to syngas can almost eliminate unwanted carbon dioxide emissions from the process while increasing the output of valuable olefins (Science 2025, DOI: 10.1126/science.aea1655).
No direct quote available in the text.
Author's summary: Bromomethane reduces CO2 emissions.