Substantial amounts of free formic acid were produced by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in aqueous solutions of sodium formate for the first time, according to the latest research led by researchers from Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IPE) and University of Debrecen.

Formic acid is an important commercial chemical, and today also believed to be a promising hydrogen storage material. The use of the major greenhouse gas-carbon dioxide to produce formic acid has been an important topic of academia and industry. Usually formate is the direct product of hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, which then is converted into formic acid though two or three complex steps. How to simplify the synthesis of formic acid from carbon dioxide is the key.

In this new technique, high total gas pressure, appropriate concentration of HCOONa, and a pressure ratio of H2 to CO2 were crucial variables for the production of free formic acid in high yield. Under optimal condition, 0.13 M of free formic acid was produced in 0.5M HCOONa solutions, free formic acid. These findings give great contribute to synthesis of formic acid from CO2 and their application.

More research details were shown in the paper entitled "Free formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in sodium formate solutions", published on Catalysis Communications. The research was financially supported by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Research Training Network (AQUACHEM, MRTN-CT-2003-503864), and the European Social Fund through the Social Renewal Operational Programme under the projects (CHEMIKUT, TÁ MOP-4.2.1/B-09/1/KONV-2010-0007 and TÁMOP-4,2,2,2-08/1-2008-0012).