Chapter 468 Synthesis of Starch from Carbon Dioxide
Apart from the redox of graphene, Xu Chuan keenly noticed another detail in this document.
In the reduction process of graphene oxide, electrochemical reduction method is used.
The lithium in the lithium iron phosphate battery is reduced, and during the entire process, it combines with other substances produced by the reduction to form a lithium salt.
This is an unexpected result, but it is quite useful.
Leaving aside the reduction of graphene oxide, this achievement alone is enough to apply for a patent for processing lithium phosphate batteries.
In fact, lithium battery recycling has always been a huge problem.
Recycled batteries must first undergo pre-processing, including discharging, dismantling, crushing, and sorting.
Although the plastic and metal casings after disassembly can be recycled, there are considerable dangers involved in this process, not to mention the more troublesome waste liquid disposal in lithium batteries.
According to the current technical level, waste liquid treatment alone is enough to eat up the pitiful metal recycling revenue.
Some people do the U-turn business, but no one does the loss-making business. It can be said that under the current technical conditions, few companies will actively invest in the lithium battery recycling industry.
The recycling of lithium batteries that can be seen on the market is basically derived from the policies of various countries. It can be said that if there are no subsidies and no policies, I am afraid that the final destination of lithium batteries will only be the garbage dump.
Of course, if it was just like this, it could only be said that it was an extra surprise and it would not attract his attention.
What attracted Xu Chuan's attention was that during this whole process, through the experimental data of the computational material model, he noticed that during the entire synthesis process, the waste liquid of the lithium iron phosphate battery was first separated, and then these mixtures were produced.
The reaction produces carbon dioxide.
But in the entire electrochemical reduction process, carbon dioxide is not redundant. It participates in the reduction process of graphene oxide and lithium salts.
This is what really caught Xu Chuan's attention.
...
After spending some time, Xu Chuan read the entire document twice.
He didn't stand up or speak. He leaned back on the office chair and began to think.
In the office, Master Xiong Fanpeng, who had just boiled water and made tea, brought him over. Seeing this, he did not disturb him. He sat aside and waited quietly.
After the brewed tea had gone cold, Xu Chuan came back from his thoughts.
Opposite me, Fan Pengyue saw this and asked curiously: "What were you thinking about just now? The tea has gone cold."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan said directly: "Think about the possibility of realizing a new technology."
Although he had finished thinking for this moment, he was still in a daze, and all the remaining ideas in his mind had not dissipated.
"What new technology?"
Hearing this question, Xu Chuan finally came to his senses, smiled and said: "A technology that uses carbon dioxide to synthesize carbon compound materials."
Hearing this answer, Fan Pengyue was stunned for a moment and asked: "Why did you think of this?"
Reaching out to take the tea cup from the table, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I thought of it from the information I just saw."
Hearing this, Fan Pengyue was stunned again: "Where?"
Taking a sip of the tea that had cooled down, Xu Chuan continued: "During the electrochemical synthesis of graphene oxide and reduction of graphene in lithium iron phosphate batteries, the oxygen in the lithium iron phosphate and the negative electrode graphite interact with each other between the current and the electrolyte.
The combined action of these compounds produces carbon dioxide."
"Theoretically, this carbon dioxide is not redundant. It may participate in the reduction of graphene oxide or lithium salts."
"That got me thinking about repurposing carbon dioxide, and photosynthesis."
After a slight pause, he continued: "As we all know, plants and algae can synthesize carbon dioxide and water into energy-rich organic matter while releasing oxygen during photosynthesis."
"It mainly includes two stages: light reaction and dark reaction, involving important reaction steps such as light absorption, electron transfer, photophosphorylation, and carbon assimilation."
"Theoretically, this process can be completely replicated through experimental chemistry."
"And in this new electrochemical graphene preparation process, I saw at least two processes that use carbon dioxide to synthesize relatively precious materials."
"So I have just been thinking about whether the carbon dioxide in the air or other places can be re-collected and used to re-synthesize various carbon compounds, oxygen, etc."
"Carbon is the element that forms the most types of compounds. For example, gasoline, starch, glucose, silicon carbide, hydrocarbon, graphene, etc. are all carbon compounds or carbon materials. In theory, they can all be realized through technical means."
"If this method can be done, it may be able to solve various problems such as the greenhouse effect, food crisis, and shortage of raw materials."
After hearing Xu Chuan's explanation, Fan Pengyue was almost dumbfounded and stared at him again and again with strange eyes.
He really couldn't figure out how the young junior brother in front of him could think of so many things.
Although graphene is indeed a carbon material, how can it be linked to carbon dioxide collection and reuse?
From graphene to the re-collection and utilization of carbon dioxide...
To be honest, he really wanted to open this little junior brother's brain to see what was inside.
Why does this structure feel different from ordinary people?
........
Xu Chuan didn't pay attention to Fan Pengyue's weird look. After taking a sip of tea, he asked: "Speaking of which, who came up with the idea of using electrochemistry to reduce graphene oxide?"
After coming back to his senses, Fan Pengyue said: "It's not someone who thought of it, but something calculated from the computational material model."
Hearing this answer, Xu Chuan was a little surprised and asked curiously: "What can be calculated from the computational material model?"
He knows very well the capabilities of the models he has made with his own hands.
Unless the underlying logical and mathematical formulas are changed, it is impossible to achieve this step in a targeted manner.
The reason is simple, because he did not set up this system in the underlying logical and mathematical formulas.
Using the properties and mechanisms of materials to deduce possible chemical combinations of materials has gone beyond the framework he preset in his early years.
Fan Pengyue nodded and said: "Well, the graphene module originally did not have this function. It was calculated after your junior sister made changes later."
"That's why I wanted to ask her for help and see if I can optimize other modules."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan stood up and said: "Optimization is easy to talk about. First, take me to see the modified graphene module code and the underlying logic formula."
After confirming that this change was caused by changes in the computational material model, he was a little curious about what the senior sister had changed.