One-Step Direct Fixation of Atmospheric CO by Si-H Surface in Solution.

The efficient conversion of carbon dioxide (CO) into useful chemicals has important practical significance for environmental protection. Until now, direct fixation of atmospheric CO needs first extraction from the atmosphere, an energy-intensive process. Silicon (or Si-H surface), Earth-abundant, low-cost and non-toxic, is a promising material for heterogeneous CO chemical fixation. Here we report one-step fixing of CO directly from the atmosphere to a paraformaldehyde-like polymer by Si-H surface at room temperature. With the assistance of HF, commercial silicon powder was used as a heterogeneous reducing agent, for converting gaseous CO to a polymer of fluorine substituted polyoxymethylene and hydroxyl substituted polyoxymethylene alternating copolymer (F-POM). Making use of the Si-H surface toward the fixation of atmospheric gaseous CO is a conceptually distinct and commercially interesting strategy for making useful chemicals and environmental protection.