Turning CO₂ into value

Captured carbon could soon become a valuable resource, thanks to a new Cambridge-Hitachi collaboration aiming to cut emissions and transform the global chemicals industry.

The project is developing engineered enzymes and nanoparticle‑inspired catalysts to convert green methanol – made from captured CO₂ – into high‑value chemicals used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and materials manufacturing.

It is led by Professor Ljiljana Fruk of the BioNano Engineering research group at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB), in collaboration with Dr Jenny Molloy's Open Bioeconomy Lab group, also at CEB, and Hitachi Europe Ltd.

Professor Fruk said: “Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat, drives climate change and fuels extreme weather – which damages ecosystems and poses serious risks to human health.

“While many technologies focus on capturing and storing surplus CO₂, we want to do something more – to harness its chemical potential and turn it into something genuinely useful. This project brings together enzyme engineering, nanoparticle-inspired components and flow chemistry to develop sustainable solutions that can scale across industries.”

It represents a shift away from the current model, where captured carbon is often turned into low‑value outputs that offer little commercial return. By upcycling methanol into more valuable compounds, the team aims to make carbon circularity not just environmentally friendly, but economically worthwhile.

The approach uses compact, continuous‑flow reactors – systems that enable chemical reactions to run more efficiently – with lower energy demand, less waste, and better control at scale. The catalysts themselves are being designed to work under mild, sustainable conditions, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The innovative process targets wide adoption of CO₂ upcycling by chemical companies – a crucial step towards achieving net‑zero goals.

Professor Fruk added: “It’s exciting to be part of something that is working towards a future where science helps build a cleaner, healthier world.”

Science Minister, Lord Vallance said: “These partnerships show the range of real-world challenges the UK’s world-class research base is helping to tackle – from cutting carbon emissions in heavy transport, to improving access to life-saving medicines.

“By backing scientists to work hand-in-hand with industry, we’re combining cutting-edge research with business expertise to turn science into practical solutions that can make a difference in people’s daily lives.”

The work is part of the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s (EPSRC) Prosperity Partnerships scheme – a national programme supporting long‑term collaborations between academia and industry. The scheme brings together major companies, SMEs and universities to tackle some of the UK’s most pressing industrial challenges.

This particular partnership – between the University of Cambridge and Hitachi Europe Ltd – is one of 23 new projects selected for funding across areas ranging from clean energy and AI to future medicines and cybersecurity.