Braskem teams up with Northwestern

The Brazilian petrochemical maker Braskem has formed a partnership with Northwestern University to develop a platform, based on coelectrolysis, to make chemicals from carbon dioxide emissions. The project will be led by Northwestern chemistry professor Ted Sargent and research assistant professor Ke Xie. Sargent’s group previously worked out a route to acetic acid that began with the electrolysis of CO₂ and water into carbon monoxide. Braskem has a similar agreement with the University of Illinois. It is also partnering with the start-up New Iridium on an approach to making chemicals from CO₂ using photocatalysis.