(2019 Archived) - Methodologies of Carbon Generation on Venus

Having written this in 2019, and originally published in 2021.. when I was 15 and 17, there would be inaccuracies that I would correct here. Having removed it, I'm publishing  again, for sake of completion so that the efforts wouldn't have gone to vain: 

Carbon is quite a unique element. Having its own branch in organic chemistry and numerous industrial uses, Carbon is quite useful and equally as important. It is especially required in extraterrestrial human biospheres, to compensate for Carbon lost to the external environment, and keep the Carbon cycle up-and-running. Before seeing how useful it is, there are two primordial ways of getting Carbon on Venus: One way is by the electrolysis of Carbon Monoxide – which as we’ve seen earlier, doesn’t just generate elemental Carbon, but breathable Oxygen too.

2CO + Energy → 2C + O₂

Carbon Monoxide + Energy → Carbon + Oxygen 

It does take more energy to break the Carbon-Oxygen trivalent bond in Carbon Monoxide, but the ability to obtain breathable Oxygen in the process makes it worthwhile – not a bad trade-off. But we have a better way of getting more Carbon, much faster – The Bosch reaction: As we’ve seen earlier, this reaction uses two of the most abundant materials (Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen.)in the Venusian atmosphere, without a run-out of raw material.

CO₂ + 2H₂ + (∆Heat) → C + 2H₂O                                                       

Carbon Dioxide+ Hydrogen + (∆Heat) → Carbon + Water

Some might think the Hydrogen required in fuelling this process as rather – expensive. But, it is easily obtainable via the electrolysis of atmospheric Sulphuric acid, which is abundant. Furthermore, additional Hydrogen would only have to be supplied at the initial stage of the reaction, as the Water produced by this reaction could easily be an unswerving source of it ^[1].

2H₂O + Energy → O₂ + H₂                                                                                       

Water + Energy → Oxygen + Hydrogen

The electrolysis of the Water produced by this reaction would result in the production of Oxygen and Hydrogen – that’s rocket fuel! – But most importantly for now, the Hydrogen. Without beating around the bush: the Hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of the Water produced by the Bosch reaction, could be reused in the Bosch reaction, resulting in a perpetual cycle of generating Carbon. It’d be literally like getting the Carbon out of the atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, which is present in abundance ^[1]:

CO₂ + 2H₂+ (∆Heat) → C + 2H₂O                                                                          

4H₂O + Energy → 2O₂ +2H₂

So, other than for the Carbon cycle, how are the Venusians to find elemental Carbon useful. Well, when someone says ‘Carbon’, the first thing I remember is soot, coal, graphite or occasionally diamond. But Carbon could come in far more useful forms than that – one example being (1) Carbon Fibre^[62]. Carbon Fibre is quite exceptionally strong for being quite light-weight; it would be ideally used in Venusian infrastructure, which would (but, not necessary) have to be of ‘light’ construction. It could also be used to make (2) Synthetic Industrial Diamonds, which could be used for cutting rocks and drilling^[62]. I find this to potentially be quite useful in the Venusian mining industry, as diamond is quite strong-hard and could withstand the surface temperatures and pressures. Similarly, Carbon could find use as (3) Carbon Nanotubes, or even as (4) Graphene^[62], which revolutionized hardware development, the electronics industry and in nanotechnology.

 Now, we know of a Venus, where we can obtain Carbon from atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen from atmospheric Sulphuric acid. Basically, we now know of a Venus where we could get Carbon and Hydrogen merely from the atmosphere. This gives us the opportunity to make Hydrocarbons - the opportunity to make Hydrocarbons – alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, etc. – from atmospheric material! You know what else could be made from Carbon and Hydrogen? – The common plastics! On Venus, we could literally make (5) Polythene, (6) Polypropylene, and (7) Polystyrene from the atmospheric gases! If we were to somehow add Chlorine or Carbon to the mix, we might even be able to manufacture (8) PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and the (9) Polycarbonates ^[64]! Hydrocarbons and Plastics manufactured from the Venusian atmosphere, now that’s economically attractive!

 Well, only time would tell as to how much more regular-Carbon could be used in revolutionary ways here on the Earth. But, until then, I would like to conclude this chapter saying that, the best uses of Carbon would be quite revolutionary for Venus.

Bibliography

 Achinthya Nanayakkara (31.03.2025)

Originally written - 2019