Revolutionary technology for capturing and recycling CO2 in Industrial emissions
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MIT researchers have developed an efficient electrochemical cell to capture and release CO2, reducing energy consumption compared to traditional methods. This breakthrough is vital to combat climate change by capturing CO2 from industrial emissions.
A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against climate change by developing a highly efficient carbon capture system using an electrochemical cell. This innovative device is capable of capturing and releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) effectively at room temperature and does so with significantly less energy consumption compared to conventional amine-based carbon capture systems. The results of their research have been published in the prestigious journal 'ACS Central Science'.
Carbon capture has become a crucial strategy to curb climate change, as it prevents CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and thus contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, one of the most significant challenges of this process has been the high energy demand and the complex equipment needed to carry it out. Many industries are exploring electrification as a way to reduce their carbon emissions, but this solution is not universally applicable. One example is cement production, where CO2 is a natural by-product and therefore a major source of emissions.
To address this problem, the research team led by Fang-Yu Kuo, Sung Eun Jerng and Betar Gallant set out to develop an electrochemical cell capable of capturing CO2 in a simple and reversible manner with minimal energy consumption. The designed electrochemical cell uses positively charged cations and a liquid amine solution in dimethyl sulfoxide to capture and release CO2 reversibly. When the cell is discharged, a Lewis cation interacts with the carbamic acid, releasing CO2 and forming the amine carbamate. When the process is reversed and the cell is charged, the cation disappears, allowing the cell to capture CO2 again and reform carbamic acid in the process.
A key aspect of this research was the optimisation of the ionic oscillation process by combining potassium and zinc ions. These two ions were used as the basis for the cathode and anode of the cell in a prototype, resulting in a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to heat-based electrochemical cells. In initial experiments, the cell proved to be highly competitive in terms of energy efficiency compared to other technologies.
In addition to energy efficiency, the researchers also evaluated the long-term stability of the device. The results were promising, as they found that almost 95% of the device's original capacity was maintained after several charge and discharge cycles, supporting the viability of this technology.
In summary, this research work represents a significant breakthrough in the field of carbon capture. The electrochemical cell developed offers an efficient and sustainable alternative for trapping and releasing CO2, which could have a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This breakthrough could prove crucial in the fight against climate change and contribute to making CO2 capture and continuous release technologies more practical and industrially applicable.
References
Nueva forma de capturar y reciclar CO2 de emisiones industriales | El Español, omicrono, Retrieved August 30th, 2023 from: https://www.europapress.es/ciencia/laboratorio/noticia-nueva-forma-capturar-reciclar-co2-emisiones-industriales-20230830163734.html
Dual Salt Cation-Swing Process for Electrochemical CO2 Separation | ACS Publications, Retrieved August 30th, 2023 from: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acscentsci.3c00692?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=miragenews&utm_source=miragenews
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