METHODS AND PRODUCTS FOR CONVERTING CARBON DIOXIDE TO ONE OR MORE SMALL ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

1 . A method of converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to a beta particle activated high band-gap semiconductor and thereby converting the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the one or more small organic compounds.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more small organic compounds comprises one or more of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, methane, methanol, formic acid, ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid.

3 . The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the semiconductor has a band-gap of at least 2.6 eV.

4 . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the semiconductor has a conduction band edge energy of less than −0.15 volts, with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode.

5 . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the semiconductor has a conduction band edge energy of less than −0.8 volts with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode.

6 . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the semiconductor comprises one or more of a titanate, zirconate, molybdate, vanadate, technetate, pertechnetate, tungstate, niobate, tantalate, chromate, doped tin oxides, doped zinc oxide, a hafnate, a germanium oxide, a simple oxide, an oxide of manganese, cobalt and iron, a sulphide, a chalcogenide and a carbon allotrope.

7 . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the beta particle activated high band-gap semiconductor comprises beta particle activation via continuous excitation by beta particles.

8 . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the beta particle activated semiconductor comprises beta particle activation via emission from a radionuclide.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the radionuclide comprises one or more of 14 C, 90 Sr, 99 Tc, 3 H, 63 Ni, 137 Cs, 147 Pm, 151 Sm, 121m Sn, 155 Eu, 93 Zr, 210 Pb and 126 Sn.

10 . The method according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the beta particle activated semiconductor comprises beta particle activation via emission from a radionuclide located at a distance to the semiconductor.

11 . The method according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the beta particle activated semiconductor and the radionuclide are coupled to form a radioactive catalyst.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the radioactive catalyst comprises the radionuclide in contact with the high band-gap semiconductor, the radionuclide proximal to the high band-gap semiconductor, the radionuclide physically admixed with the high band-gap semiconductor, the radionuclide chemically incorporated into the high band-gap semiconductor, the radionuclide loaded into the high band-gap semiconductor, and/or the high band-gap semiconductor is located externally to the radionuclide.

13 . The method according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein the radioactive catalyst is porous.

14 . The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13 , wherein the radioactive catalyst is in the form of a particle, a granule, a bead, a powder, a pellet or a frit.

15 . A method of converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing a high band-gap semiconductor undergoing electronic excitation by energetic beta-particles to CO 2 and/or a related form thereof and thereby converting the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the one or more small organic compounds.

16 . A method of converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof a beta particle emitting radionuclide coupled with a high band-gap semiconductor and thereby converting the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the one or more small organic compounds.

17 . A method of converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to a high band-gap semiconductor activated by beta particles from a radionuclide and thereby converting the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the one or more small organic compounds.

18 . A method of producing one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising using a method according to any one of claims 1 to 17 to convert the CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to the one or more small organic compounds.

19 . A method of producing one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to a beta particle activated high band-gap semiconductor and thereby producing the one or more small organic compounds from the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof.

20 . A method of producing one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing a high band-gap semiconductor undergoing electronic excitation by energetic beta particles to CO 2 and/or a related form thereof and thereby producing the one or more small organic compounds from the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof.

21 . A method of producing one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to a beta particle emitting radionuclide coupled with a high band-gap semiconductor and thereby producing the one or more small organic compounds from the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof.

22 . A method of producing one or more small organic compounds, the method comprising exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to a high band-gap semiconductor activated by beta particles from a radionuclide and thereby producing the one or more small organic compounds from the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof.

23 . One or more small organic compounds produced by the method according to any one of claims 18 to 22 .

24 . The one or more small organic compounds according to claim 23 , wherein the compound is methanol.

25 . A system for converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the system comprising:

a source of CO 2 and/or a related form thereof;

a reaction container comprising a high band-gap semiconductor coupled closely with a beta particle emitting radionuclide for exposure to the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof; and

means for extracting the one or more small organic compounds produced by exposure of the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the high band-gap semiconductor and the radionuclide.

26 . A system for converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the system comprising:

a source of CO 2 and/or a related form thereof;

a reaction container comprising a radioactive catalyst comprising a high band-gap semiconductor and a beta particle emitting radionuclide for exposure to the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof; and

means for extracting one or more small organic compounds produced by exposure of the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to the radioactive catalyst.

27 . The system according to claim 25 or 26 , wherein the source of CO 2 comprises one or more of waste CO 2 , atmospheric CO 2 , liquid CO 2 , sequestered CO 2 , CO 2 complexed with another agent, a bicarbonate, a carbonate, a carbonate ore, or a chemical compound that provides CO 2 .

28 . The system according to any one of claims 25 to 27 , wherein the means for extracting the one or more small organic molecules comprises a distillation means and/or a condensing means, or a differential adsorption means.

29 . One or more small organic compounds produced by the system according to any one of claims 25 to 28 .

30 . A method of activating a high band-gap semiconductor for the conversion of CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, the semiconductor having a conduction band edge energy sufficient to enable the reduction of CO 2 , the method comprising exposing the high band-gap semiconductor to a beta particle emitting radionuclide and thereby activating the semiconductor.

31 . A high band-gap semiconductor activated by the method according to claim 30 .

32 . A radiocatalytic material comprising a high band-gap semiconductor coupled with a beta particle emitting radionuclide.

33 . The radiocatalytic material according to claim 32 , wherein the radiocatalytic material is porous.

34 . The radiocatalytic material according to claim 32 or 33 , wherein the radiocatalytic material is in a form comprising a particle, a granule, a bead, a powder, a pellet or a frit.

35 . Use of a radiocatalytic material according to any one of claims 32 to 34 for producing one or more small organic compounds from CO 2 and/or a related form thereof.

36 . A method of identifying a high band-gap semiconductor for converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds by beta particle activation of the semiconductor, the method comprising:

exposing CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to a beta particle emitting radionuclide coupled closely with a candidate high band-gap semiconductor; and

determining the ability of the candidate high band-gap semiconductor to convert the CO 2 and/or the related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds, thereby identifying the candidate high band-gap semiconductor as a high band-gap semiconductor for converting CO 2 and/or a related form thereof to one or more small organic compounds by beta particle activation of the high band-gap semiconductor.

37 . A semiconductor identified according to the method claim 36 .