New potential for mitigating climate change: blue pigment catalyst turns CO₂ directly into methane i
Researchers in Japan say a low-cost catalyst could make carbon recycling more practical, as COP31 turns its attention to clean technology and implementation.
A common blue pigment could help convert captured carbon dioxide into a usable fuel, according to researchers at Tohoku University, Hokkaido University and startup AZUL Energy. Turning the most potent greenhouse gas into fuel that we can use could be a monumental step in the fight to mitigate climate change.
The process involves a catalyst that can turn CO₂ directly into methane in a single electrochemical step, and the molecule to thank is copper phthalocyanine - a bright blue synthetic pigment. The finding was published in the journal Small on 2 August 2026.
Electrochemical CO₂ reduction uses renewable electricity to convert CO₂ into fuels and chemicals, a dually beneficial route that recycles carbon while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The challenge is selectivity. Conventional copper nanoparticle catalysts tend to produce a mixture of products, which then need to be separated and purified – a complex and energy demanding procedure.
The new catalyst, applied to a gas diffusion electrode, reached a maximum Faradaic efficiency of 79.5 per cent for methane. This is the percentage of electrical charge passed through the system that actually goes into creating the desired product, in this case methane.
The team have used theoretical calculations to explain why this high efficiency is possible. On this catalyst, the reaction pathway to methane has a lower energy barrier than those leading to other one-carbon products. This means that the reaction naturally steers towards methane production.
"Converting CO₂ directly into CH₄ in a single, high-efficiency step has been a significant hurdle in carbon recycling," said Professor Hiroshi Yabu of Tohoku University, one of the lead researchers.
The results come from laboratory tests. The next step is to trial the catalyst in an electrolyser using CO₂ captured from real industrial emissions, and then with CO₂ taken directly from the air. The team says further development will be needed to judge performance under practical conditions and its potential for integration into real-world carbon recycling technologies. Methane's appeal as a target is that it is already a widely used gaseous fuel and could potentially fit into existing gas infrastructure.
The research lands ahead of COP31, which runs from 9 to 20 November in Antalya, Türkiye. The official agenda highlights themes including electrification, green industrialisation and methane reduction, and the programme includes a Science, Industry and Technology Day on 16 November. Billed the ‘COP of the Future’, COP31 focuses on practical delivery and clean technology.
Carbon capture and utilisation is one of the technology areas likely to be discussed as countries look at how to cut industrial emissions. Studies like this show where the science is heading, but they also show how far it has to go. We may have an innovative climate mitigation tool at our fingertips – moving from a lab electrode to industrial scale is exactly the type of thing this conference’s implementation focus should address.