CO2-Negative Polymer Production With Modular Low-Energy Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CO2 negative products face challenges of high cost and limited scalability, with energy and resource requirements often offsetting their carbon negativity, especially when non-renewable energy sources are used.
Innovation Solution
A process that captures CO2 from the atmosphere using sodium hydroxide to form sodium carbonate, thermally decomposes it to release CO2 and sodium hydroxide, converts the CO2 to olefins via electrochemical reduction or hydrogenation, and polymerizes the olefins to form carbon fibers, using renewable energy sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If CO2 negative products are produced using conventional methods, then carbon dioxide removal from atmosphere is achieved, but production cost becomes prohibitively expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter for thermal decomposition of sodium carbonate from conventional high temperatures (>800°C) to low temperatures (20-200°C) by using alternative decomposition methods that do not require extreme heating, thereby reducing energy costs while maintaining CO2 removal effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional high-energy thermal decomposition mechanisms with electrochemical or biological decomposition methods that operate at lower temperatures, substituting the mechanical/thermal system with electrochemical or enzymatic systems to reduce energy consumption and production costs
2Object-generated harmful factors
If CO2 negative products are produced at small scale, then carbon negativity is maintained, but scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the CO2 conversion process into modular sequential steps (capture → conversion to intermediates → polymerization → product formation) that can be independently scaled and distributed across multiple production units, enabling both maintenance of carbon negativity and increase in production scale
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal platform process that can produce multiple different polymer products from the same CO2 capture and conversion infrastructure, allowing the system to serve multiple market demands and scale more effectively by diversifying product output
3Object-generated harmful factors
If renewable energy sources are used for CO2 negative production, then carbon negativity is enhanced, but energy and resource requirements may offset benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter for thermal decomposition from conventional high temperatures to low temperatures (20-200°C), dramatically reducing the energy input required for this step while maintaining effective CO2 release and recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where process byproducts or intermediate compounds are reused within the system (e.g., using decomposition products to facilitate further decomposition steps), reducing external resource inputs and energy requirements while maintaining carbon negativity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process produces polymeric products with a negative carbon footprint efficiently, sustainably, and cost-effectively, utilizing renewable energy and avoiding fossil raw materials, with modular implementation options.
Implementation Method 1
the gas comprising carbon dioxide is brought into contact with sodium hydroxide to absorb carbon dioxide and to form sodium carbonate
Implementation Method 2
the sodium carbonate obtained in the first phase is provided in the solid state and at least partially decomposed thermally, whereby gaseous carbon dioxide is released and sodium hydroxide obtained by the thermal decomposition
Implementation Method 3
electrochemical reduction (2i, 12.1) of the carbon dioxide in the presence of water
Implementation Method 4
hydrogenation (2ii) of the carbon dioxide with hydrogen to form methanol and subsequently converting the methanol to the olefin
Implementation Method 5
a methanol-to-olefin reaction (MTO)
Implementation Method 6
the propylene is subjected to an ammonoxidation reaction to form the acrylonitrile
Implementation Method 7
acrylonitrile is polymerized to form polyacrylonitrile
Implementation Method 8
the polyacrylonitrile is subjected to a pyrolysis reaction to form carbon fibers
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A carbon dioxide negative process, for the preparation of a polymeric product, comprising the steps of: a) Capturing carbon dioxide (1, 11.1, 11.2) from a gas comprising carbon dioxide, in particular from air or exhaust gas; b) Converting at least a part of the captured carbon dioxide (2, 12.1) to an intermediate product comprising an olefin; c) Optionally, subjecting the olefin of the intermediate product to a derivatization reaction (3, 13.1, 13.2) to obtain an olefin derivate; d) Further subjecting the olefin and/or olefin derivate, in particular with at least one further monomer, to a polymerisation reaction (4, 14.1, 14.2) to obtain a polymeric product; wherein at least for step a), in particular for at least steps a) and b), especially for all steps a) - d), energy required for performing the process step(s) is provided in the form of renewable energy.