IIT Guwahati Develops Sunlight-Based Tech to Convert CO₂ into Methanol

Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have developed a new photocatalytic material that converts carbon dioxide into methanol fuel using sunlight. The study, published in the Journal of Materials Science, offers a potential clean-energy solution to reduce CO₂ emissions while meeting rising energy demands.

Led by Mahuya De, the team enhanced graphitic carbon nitride by combining it with few-layer graphene, improving energy retention and fuel conversion efficiency. The most effective composite achieved optimal results with 15% graphene content.

The technology could be applied in power plants, cement, steel, and petrochemical industries, supporting a circular carbon economy and cleaner fuel alternatives.