Functionalized Graphene Oxide Sorbent for Low-Energy CO2 Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incumbent carbon capture technologies are capital and operationally intensive, lack portability across different industry verticals, and do not facilitate a carbon-circular economy, making them impractical for widespread implementation to combat climate change.
Innovation Solution
A graphene oxide-based sorbent with functional groups like amines, phosphates, and sulfonates is used for selective CO2 capture, integrated into a continuous operation system with desorption and reuse processes to minimize capital expenditure and operational costs, and enable carbon recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If incumbent carbon capture technologies are used, then CO2 capture capability is achieved, but capital expenditure and operational expenses become prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous adsorbent materials with high surface area and tailored pore structures to capture CO2. These materials provide effective CO2 capture capability while reducing system complexity and costs compared to incumbent technologies, as the porous structure naturally enhances adsorption capacity without requiring complex equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials combining multiple functional components (e.g., metal organic frameworks, activated carbon, and functional polymers) to achieve high CO2 selectivity and capacity. These composite adsorbents improve capture performance while simplifying the overall system design and reducing operational expenses
2Reliability
If incumbent carbon capture technologies are deployed, then CO2 capture is achieved, but portability across different industry verticals is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops universal adsorbent materials and modular capture units that can be adapted to different industry verticals including power generation, cement production, and chemical processing. The same core technology platform serves multiple applications, enabling portability and versatility across different CO2 emission sources
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs modular, segmented capture units that can be independently deployed and scaled according to specific industry needs. This segmentation allows the technology to be adapted from small-scale applications to large industrial facilities across different sectors without requiring complete system redesign
3Reliability
If conventional carbon capture methods are used, then CO2 separation is achieved, but energy consumption becomes prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces energy-intensive mechanical separation processes (such as amine scrubbing requiring heating and cooling) with passive adsorption-based separation. The adsorbent materials selectively capture CO2 through chemical and physical interactions at ambient or near-ambient conditions, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining separation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes adsorbent materials with optimized parameters including pore size, surface chemistry, and thermal stability to enable low-energy CO2 capture. By tuning these material parameters, the system achieves effective separation without requiring high energy inputs for regeneration or operation
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 system provides efficient, selective CO2 capture with stable performance over multiple cycles, enabling low-cost, portable, and scalable carbon capture with carbon recycling capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a functionalized graphene oxide substrate having a plurality of substitution sites substituted with a functional group, wherein the plurality of functional groups include at least one of a primary amine and a secondary amine
Implementation Method 2
stable gas separation performance over multiple separation cycles, in particular over multiple cycles of heating and cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A functionalized carbon dioxide sorbent of a functionalized graphene oxide (fGO) substrate having substitution sites substituted with a functional group. The functional groups can be secondary or tertiary amines, a phosphate, a sulfonate or magnetite. The sorbent can have a binder intermixed with the fGO substrate, in the form of pellets, using a hydroxyethyl cellulose binder. A method using the functionalized sorbent provided captures a CO2 from a flue gas, by passing the flue gas containing moisture and a concentration of CO2 across the sorbent packed bed of the functionalized sorbent to adsorb selectively a portion of CO2 in the flue gas onto the fGO of the sorbent. The captured CO2 can be desorbed from the sorbent by exposure to a fluid at elevated temperature and/or reduced pressure conditions sufficient to desorb the CO2, and separating and concentrating the desorbed CO2 from the fluid. The functional moieties can be at least one of a primary and secondary amine, and a secondary function group of tertiary amines, phosphates, sulfonates and/or magnetite.