2023-08-30 16:37:34
Industrial gas emissions – PXFUEL
MADRID, 30 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a carbon capture system using an electrochemical cell that can easily capture and release CO2.
The device works at room temperature and requires less energy than conventional amine-based carbon capture systems, as published in the journal ‘ACS Central Science’.
Carbon capture is a promising method to help curb climate change. With this method, carbon dioxide (CO2) is trapped before it escapes into the atmosphere, but the process requires a great deal of energy and equipment.
Many industries are turning to electrification to help curb carbon emissions, but this technique is not feasible for all sectors. For example, CO2 is a natural by-product of cement manufacturing and therefore a major contributor to emissions alone.
Excess gas can be trapped with carbon capture technologies, which often rely on amines to help “scrub” the pollutant by chemically binding to it. But this also requires a lot of power, heat and industrial equipment, which may burn even more fossil fuels in the process.
Carbon capture itself could be electrified by electrochemical cells, and these devices could be powered by renewable energy sources. Therefore, Fang-Yu Kuo, Sung Eun Jerng and Betar Gallant wanted to develop an electrochemical cell that could easily and reversibly trap CO2 with minimal energy input.
The team first developed an electrochemical cell capable of capturing and releasing emitted carbon by “swinging” positively charged cations through a liquid amine dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide.
When the cell was discharged, a strong Lewis cation interacted with the carbamic acid, releasing CO2 and forming the amine carbamate. When the process was reversed and the cell charged, the cation disappeared and the cell could capture CO2 and reform carbamic acid in the process.
They optimized the ion oscillation process with a combination of potassium and zinc ions and, in a prototype cell, used these two ions as the base for the cell’s cathode and anode. This cell requires less power than other heat-based cells and competes with other electrochemical cells in early experiments.
In addition, they tested the long-term stability of the device and found that almost 95% of its original capacity was maintained after several charge and discharge cycles, proving that the system was viable.
The researchers say this work demonstrates that an electrochemical alternative is possible and could contribute to continuous CO2 capture and release technologies. more practical for industrial applications.
#capture #recycle #CO2 #industrial #emissions