Scientists from Nanjing University in China have made a breakthrough in oxygen production technology by developing a method for extracting it from carbon dioxide (CO2). The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition (ACIE).

Unlike plants, which use hydrogen in photosynthesis, Chinese scientists used lithium as a catalyst. Carbon dioxide was passed through an electrochemical cell with a ruthenium-cobalt nanocatalyst (RuCo), where it was successively converted into lithium carbonate, carbon, and lithium oxide. At the final stage, lithium oxide decomposed, releasing pure oxygen and regenerating lithium for reuse. The conversion efficiency reached 98%.

According to the authors of the development, this technology can be used on Earth to utilize industrial emissions and flue gases, in air purification systems, and in underwater vehicles.

The method also opens up the possibility of producing oxygen on Mars, where the atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide.