Lithium Borate Sequestration for High-Capacity CO2 Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current carbon capture technologies are inadequate in efficiently capturing and regenerating carbon dioxide, particularly from fossil fuel emissions, due to limitations in material capacity and durability.

Innovation Solution

Development of sequestration materials comprising lithium borate and nitrate/nitrite salts, which are in the form of particulate materials with small particle sizes, allowing for high carbon dioxide capture and repeated cycling without significant loss of effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional carbon capture materials are used, then carbon dioxide capture is achieved, but the capture capacity per mass is limited and regeneration effectiveness is lost over cycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarbon dioxide capture capacity per massVSAvoidregeneration effectiveness over cycles

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the capture material by using lithium borate instead of conventional materials like amines or metal organic frameworks. This parameter change enables both high capture capacity (at least 1.0 mmol CO2 per gram) and maintained regeneration effectiveness over multiple cycles, resolving the contradiction between quantity and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs composite materials consisting of lithium borate combined with nitrate and/or nitrite salts. This composite approach enhances both the capture capacity and the durability of the material, allowing it to maintain regeneration effectiveness over repeated cycles while achieving high CO2 capture per mass unit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If particle size is reduced to increase surface area, then capture efficiency improves, but particle handling and separation becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarbon dioxide capture efficiencyVSAvoidparticle handling and separation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a porous structure within the lithium borate particles, where the internal porosity provides high surface area for CO2 capture while the external particle morphology remains suitable for handling. This resolves the contradiction by making different regions of the material serve different functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses porous lithium borate materials that provide high surface area for CO2 capture within the particle structure. The porous architecture increases capture efficiency while maintaining manageable particle characteristics for industrial handling and separation processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

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 lithium borate-based sequestration materials demonstrate high capacity for carbon dioxide capture and regenerability, effectively reducing waste and maintaining performance over multiple cycles, thus addressing the inefficiencies of existing technologies.

Implementation Method 1

the sequestration material is capable of interacting with carbon dioxide such that at least 1.0 mmol of carbon dioxide is sequestered per gram of the sequestration material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCarbon dioxide sequestration: Absorption (physical)