New process turns CO2 into Methanol CH3OH

From waste to product. [Link]

In layman's terms, what IBN researchers discovered is that if they used  N-heterocyclic carbenes(NHCs), an organic catalyst, as opposed to heavy metal catalysts, carbon dioxide is activated, a state which it must be in to transform it into something useful.

Then, hydrosilane, a combination of silica and hydrogen, is added to the NHC-activated carbon dioxide and, by adding water into the solution through hydrolysis, the carbon dioxide transforms into methanol. 

IBN principal research scientist, Dr. Yugen Zhang, explained: “Hydrosilane provides hydrogen, which bonds with carbon dioxide in a reduction reaction. This carbon dioxide reduction is efficiently
catalyzed by NHCs even at room temperature. Methanol can be easily obtained from the
product of the carbon dioxide reaction. Our previous research on NHCs has demonstrated
their multiple applications as powerful antioxidants to fight degenerative diseases, and as
effective catalysts to transform sugars into an alternative energy source. We have now
shown that NHCs can also be applied successfully to the conversion of carbon dioxide into
methanol, helping to unleash the potential of this highly abundant gas.”