ENGINEERINGNET.EU -- Very few chemical products have as many applications as formic acid: its uses include deicing airport runways, protecting silage from salmonella and disinfecting beer barrels.
BASF researchers now have developed a new manufacturing process that creates formic acid directly from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
Scientists have known about this reaction for over 40 years. But before it could be used on a large scale, researchers first had to find a way to protect the catalyst during the reaction.
The solution is shown here: a ligand, a molecule with long “arms”. Like a bodyguard, the ligand protects the catalyst, ensuring that it remains active and can be used in further reactions. Ligands also allow catalysts to be recycled.
