While there are ever growing global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a group of Indian scientists has discovered an approach to Synthesize Novel Solid adsorbents for the capture and utilization of CO2.
Carbon capture and utilization are the growing subjects of research that focus on reducing the CO2 emissions. Despite the fact that several industrial progressions have already been displayed, none of the technologies have provided an economically feasible and complete solution for the capture and utilization of CO2. Consequently, the recent elemental research on novel solid adsorbents, holds promise to provide a critical material for the capture and also for the utilization of CO2.
A group led by Professor Rahul Banerjee at IISER-Kolkata, with help from the Department of Science and Technology, under Mission Innovation program, has displayed a new methodology to amalgamate novel solid adsorbents, specifically for the capture and utilization of CO2. The group has found distinctive nanoparticles or microparticles which can potentially capture the CO2 in their micro and mesoporous spaces.
The novel materials with specific materialistic characteristics on the surfaces that have been amalgamated include permeable Covalent organic structures like COF-graphene Janus thin layer published in ‘Journal of American Chemical Society’ permeable covalent connected organic nanotubes published in Nature Chemistry, and COF covered zeolite published in ‘Journal of American Chemical Society’.
The prudent decision of 2D graphene sheets as a grafter assisted the researchers in designing and creating COF-graphene Janus thin films with the help of interactions (non-covalent) between the COF and graphene, thus creating flexible permeable Janus films at the DCM-water interface. The lately designed COF-covered zeolites has the potential to become a superb possibility for CO2 storage in the industry as they have a high surface area and also have improved chemical steadiness.
The elevated CO2 absorption by the COF covered zeolites, even after being treated with weak acids makes it extremely suitable for the use in industrial processes. The COFs cover fended off the degradation of zeolite composition from moisture, weak acids, and water. The CO2 absorption statistics for COF coated zeolite at 1 bar, 293K is 132 cc/g, exceeds the carbon dioxide absorption statistics of zeolite under a similar situation.
The researcher group has as of late found absolutely covalent reinforced natural nanotubes (CONTs) with a previously nonexistent composition through a novel bottom-up perspective. Even though the zero-dimensional covalent natural cages and two- and three-dimensional covalent natural structures were earlier reported, the amalgamation of one-dimensional natural nanotubes was previously not heard about.
The amalgamated CONTs possess an advantage when compared to the equivalent carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with respect to the functions, synthetic settings, and permeability which demonstrates a BET surface area of 321 m2 g-1. The amalgamated CONTs are also the favourable possibility for the efficient carbon dioxide uptake with carbon dioxide uptake strength of 60-80 cc g-1 at 1 bar and 293 K.
