Welcome to the Norris Group

We are interested in finding new molecules that exhibit unique reactivity with CO2. The continued depletion of worldwide fossil fuel reserves as well as rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere require the development of energy supplies that are secure and CO2-neutral. Ideally, energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal would provide the required power, but the energy produced from these sources must still be transformed into something that can be stored, transported, and used on demand. Use of CO2 as the C-source for generating fuels from these energy sources is highly desirable, but the reduction of this prevalent molecule to liquid fuels is difficult due to kinetic demands and issues of product selectivity. Thus, new strategies are needed that enable access to mechanisms for the selective reduction of CO2 to methanol.