ICarbon-neutral · 2D quantum confinement dual functional materials for CO2 capture and in-situ utilization

CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) is recognized as one of the most promising technologies for achieving carbon neutrality. However, there is a considerable gap between the CO2 capture and the discrete CO2 utilization in the conventional CCU processes, i.e., the captured CO2 should be additionally compressed, liquefied, and transported to the chemical plants for utilization, which would increase the system complexity and energy penalty. Based on the research expertise of the Researcher and the Host, we propose a novel integrated CO2 capture and utilization technology (ICCU), where the captured CO2 will be in-situ converted and the sorbent will be simultaneously regenerated. The project aims to develop Cu-based dual functional materials (DFMs) with a characteristic of two dimensional quantum well confinement that inhibits sintering, where the captured CO2 can be in-situ converted into value-added products directly. ICCU not only reduces process complexity and operation cost but also slows the DFMs’ deactivation for milder operation conditions than the conventional separated CCU processes. To fulfill this technology, kinds of cost-effective Cu-based DFMs will be designed and explored in the ICCU processes, and the reaction mechanism in the materials will be analyzed on a micro-scale. In addition, a technical-economic evaluation (TEA) would be done to assess the application potential in the industry. The proposal is the integration of the specialty of the Fellow on the calcium looping process for CO2 capture and the specialty of the Host on heterogeneous catalysis especially the CO2 hydrogenation to make CO (a basic building block for carbon-based chemicals). Finally, the proposed ICCU with DFMs is expected to replace the conventional separated CO2 capture and CO2 utilization strategies, ease the energy crisis, and contribute to carbon neutrality.