A new method of artificial photosynthesis could get humans one step closer to using the machinery of plants to make fuels. Plants use Carbon Dioxide. Oxygen is a “byproduct”. So are other Hydrocarbons, like Ethelyn.
Hemp is a very fast-growing Plant that produces all the Hydrocarbons needed to synthesize Rocket Fuel. Along with Oxygen! And Medicines, Building Materials (Bio Mass) and many other much needed products that do not exist in space or on other Planets.
While natural photosynthesis allows plants to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into Oxygen and other carbohydrates using the power of the sun, (light).
This artificial method can turn carbon dioxide and water into energy-dense fuels like methane and ethanol as well.
Hydrocarbons Produced by Plants.
Plants are capable of producing a variety of hydrocarbons through their metabolic pathways. These hydrocarbons can be classified into different categories based on their structure and function. Here are some notable examples:
Terpenoids:
Terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a large class of organic compounds produced by plants. They are derived from five-carbon isoprene units and can have various structures, including linear and cyclic forms. Common terpenoids include:
Monoterpenes: Such as limonene (found in citrus fruits) and pinene (found in pine trees).
Sesquiterpenes: Such as Farnesene, which is used as an additive in diesel fuels.
Diterpenes: Such as phytol, which is a precursor to vitamin E.
Triterpenes: Such as squalene, which is used in cosmetics and health supplements.
Alkanes:
Some plants produce straight-chain alkanes or saturated hydrocarbons that can be found in their waxy cuticles. For example:
C31 alkane: Found in the leaves of certain plants, contributing to the plant’s protective layer against water loss.
Fatty Acids and Oils:
Many plants synthesize fatty acids that can be converted into hydrocarbons through various biochemical processes. Examples include:
Vegetable oils: Such as those derived from soybeans, sunflowers, and palm oil, which contain long-chain fatty acids that can be processed into biodiesel.
Alkenes (Olefins):
Some plants produce alkenes, which are unsaturated hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. For instance:
Ethylene (C2H4): A plant hormone involved in the ripening process of fruits.
Phenolic Compounds:
While not strictly hydrocarbons, phenolic compounds contain hydrocarbon structures and play significant roles in plant defense mechanisms and signaling.
Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids (HGLs):
Certain algae species like Botryococcus braunii produce HGLs such as odd-numbered carbon chains (25-31 carbons) or even-numbered carbon chains (34-38 carbons), which can be harvested for biofuel production.
In summary, plants synthesize a diverse range of hydrocarbons including terpenoids, alkanes, fatty acids, alkenes, and other related compounds that serve various ecological functions and have potential applications in biofuels and other industries.
This could provide an alternative to fossil fuels drilled out of ancient rock.
“The biggest challenge many people don’t realize is that even nature has no solution for the amount of energy we use. Natural photosynthesis, while sufficient for plants to feed themselves, falls short of providing the quantity of energy required to fuel our homes, cities and nations. We will have to do better than nature, and that’s scary.
Researchers have been working to borrow the machinery of photosynthesis to create their own desired chemicals for years, but tweaking photosynthesis to serve human needs is not easy. The process is complicated and involves two steps: First, breaking apart water and CO2, and second, reconnecting the atoms into carbohydrates. There is a system that would instead produce methane, or CH4, which is a carbon surrounded by four hydrogen molecules.
Though combusting this synthetic methane would still lead to greenhouse gas emissions, researchers are also working on using artificial photosynthesis to make hydrogen fuels, which release only water vapor and warm air.
To do this, they began with a metal-organic framework — a web made of charged metal atoms linked by organic molecules. (Organic molecules contain carbon.) They submerged single layers of this metal-organic framework in a cobalt solution; this element is good at picking up electrons and moving them around during chemical reactions.
Just grow a larger amount of “Plants”. This is how we make big Money. Volume!
A typical Ship (Interplanetary) I estimate would need to devote 30% of its “space” for Oxygen Production and Biomasse.
Or…synthetic fuel can be made from captured carbon dioxide instead of fossilized carbon from crude oil. The process is analogous to how trees take in carbon dioxide from animal and human respiration, and convert it to back into an energy source to start the cycle over again. In the case of synthetic fuels, a high-energy source needs to release the captured carbon to return it to a state where it can be used as fuel again.
Another process called: The Methanol-to-Gasoline process creates Ch3OH (known as eMethanol) from the reaction between H2 and CO2. It is then converted to a fuel that meets the European Union’s fuel standard EN-228. This process can also be used to produce kerosene for turbine aircraft to use as jet fuel.
