Researchers at Washington University are working to move carbon dioxide electrolysis from the lab to industrial scale. The process converts waste CO2 into platform chemicals like methanol and ethylene, creating a circular system for manufacturing fuels and synthetic materials. Scaling these systems requires solving critical engineering hurdles, including temperature regulation, flow uniformity, and precise stack compression. The team emphasizes that government support and investment are necessary to compete with rapid electrolyzer deployment in Europe and Asia.
