Metal Polymer Complexes for High-Capacity CO2 Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current direct air capture (DAC) technologies face challenges in efficiently capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere due to the ultra-low concentration of CO2, leading to low sorption capacity in conventional sorbents.
Innovation Solution
The development of metal polymer complexes, specifically those comprising a polymer with an amine group complexed with transition metals like nickel, zinc, copper, or combinations thereof, which are designed to capture carbon dioxide by producing carbonate, bicarbonate, or their salts, and can be regenerated using a water and salt or acid solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional engineered sorbents are used for direct air capture, then the system can operate at ambient conditions, but the CO2 sorption capacity is limited to 0.5-1.5 mole of CO2 per kg of sorbent due to ultra-low atmospheric CO2 concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the sorbent by introducing metal polymer complexes with specific metal centers (Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)) coordinated to nitrogen-containing ligands. This chemical modification enables the sorbent to achieve high CO2 sorption capacity (3+ moles CO2/kg sorbent) at ultra-low atmospheric CO2 concentrations by creating highly selective binding sites that function effectively at ambient temperature and pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining polymer matrices with metal centers to create metal polymer complexes. This composite structure integrates the mechanical stability and processability of polymers with the high CO2 affinity and selectivity of metal coordination sites, achieving both high sorption capacity (3+ moles CO2/kg) and effective performance at atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
2Quantity of substance
If high CO2 sorption capacity is achieved, then more CO2 can be captured per unit mass, but the complexity of the sorbent material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating metal centers (Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)) at specific coordination sites within the polymer structure. These localized metal coordination sites provide high CO2 affinity and selectivity, enabling the sorbent to achieve 3+ moles CO2/kg capacity. The rest of the polymer matrix maintains simple structural characteristics, thus achieving high performance without excessive overall complexity.
3Device complexity
If conventional sorbents are used, then the system design is simpler, but the sorption capacity is insufficient for effective direct air capture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the sorbent material by using metal polymer complexes with specific metal centers (Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)) coordinated to nitrogen-containing ligands. This parameter change enables the sorbent to achieve 3+ moles CO2/kg capacity, making the sorbent itself more complex but allowing the overall system design to remain relatively simple while achieving effective direct air capture.
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
These metal polymer complexes achieve significantly higher CO2 sorption capacities, up to 3 or more moles of CO2 per kg of sorbent, while maintaining efficiency across a range of CO2 concentrations, including atmospheric levels, and can be effectively regenerated without external heat.
Implementation Method 1
producing a carbonate, a bicarbonate, a salt thereof, or a combination thereof to remove carbon dioxide from the inlet gas
Implementation Method 2
removing the carbonate, the bicarbonate, the salt thereof, or the combination thereof from the polymer complex substrate by contacting the polymer complex substrate with a regenerant solution comprising water and at least one of a salt or an acid
Data Source
AI summary
Metal polymer complexes and metal polymer complexes adapted for capturing carbon dioxide are disclosed herein. In accordance with one aspect, provided is a metal polymer complex comprising a polymer comprising at least one monomer having an amine group, the polymer complexed with a transition metal selected from nickel, zinc, copper, and a combination of two or more thereof. According to another aspect, provided is a method for capturing carbon dioxide comprising: providing an inlet gas comprising carbon dioxide and water; producing a carbonate, a bicarbonate, a salt thereof, or a combination thereof to remove carbon dioxide from the inlet gas by contacting the inlet gas with a polymer complex substrate; and removing the carbonate, the bicarbonate, the salt thereof, or the combination thereof from the polymer complex substrate by contacting the polymer complex substrate with a regenerant solution comprising water and at least one of a salt or an acid.