The invention introduces a hybrid porous liquid designed for trapping and converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into industrially applicable products. Composed of polymer grafted hollow SiO2 nanorods and bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase, this innovative liquid efficiently captures and stores CO2 while catalytically converting it into calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The hybrid liquid offers advantages such as recyclability, scalability, and the ability to store CO2for extended periods. With potential applications in environmental remediation and industrial processes, this invention represents a promising advancement in carbon capture and utilization technology.
Figure (1) Preparation of Polymer conjugated hollow SiO2 nanorods (P-OS- SiO2) (2) Photograph of Polymer conjugated hollow SiO2 nanorods and its TEM. (3) Schematic showing the synthetic route for the preparation of hybrid liquid by combining the polymer conjugated hollow SiO2 nanorod and bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase enzyme.
Escalating CO2 emissions from human activities are a pressing environmental concern, fueling global warming and climate change. Recent data shows CO2 levels surpassing 37 Gtonnes annually, highlighting the urgent need for mitigation efforts to prevent severe environmental consequences. Current methods for CO2 capture and storage face limitations in terms of efficiency, scalability, and energy consumption. While porous solid materials and molecular amine-based liquid adsorbents have shown promise, they often require high energy input for regeneration and suffer from limitations in continuous industrial processes. Additionally, existing porous liquids primarily focus on CO2 sequestration and storage, lacking the capability to catalytically convert CO2 into useful products.
- Hybrid Porous Liquid: The invention introduces a novel hybrid porous liquid comprising polymer grafted hollow SiO2 nanorods and bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase. It allows efficient CO2 capture, storage, and conversion within a single solution.
- Efficient CO2 Capture: The hybrid porous liquid effectively traps CO2 molecules, utilizing the high surface area and porosity of the polymer grafted nanorods to adsorb CO2 molecules efficiently.
- Catalytic Conversion Capability: The hybrid liquid uniquely converts trapped CO2 into industrially applicable calcium carbonate (CaCO3) using bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase, expanding its utility beyond mere capture.
- Long-Term CO2 Storage: The hybrid liquid can store CO2 for extended periods, particularly when frozen below its glass transition temperature, enabling reliable long-term CO2 sequestration.
The prototype of this invention, the hybrid porous liquid operates within a temperature range suitable for both CO2 capture and catalytic conversion, typically around 30 °C for CO2 sequestration and up to 50 °C for catalytic conversion to calcium carbonate. It involves a combination of polymer grafted hollow SiO2 nanorods and bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase. The polymer grafted hollow SiO2 nanorods utilize materials such as polyethylene glycol-based polymers like polyethylene imine, polypropylene imine, or polydiallyl amine ammonium chloride. The bioconjugated carbonic anhydrase is a key enzyme used in the catalytic conversion of CO2 into calcium carbonate. The dimensions of the prototype depend on the scale of production but typically involve nanoscale particles with a particle size ranging from 2 nm to 50 nm. The prototype's performance is measured by its efficiency in capturing CO2, its conversion rate to calcium carbonate, and its scalability for industrial applications.
We have made significant advancements in this research in the past few years. We have developed a low-viscosity hybrid porous liquid by dispersing organosilane-modified hollow nanorods (OS-SiO2) and native carbonic anhydrase (nCA) into fatty acid-based ionic liquids and used CO2 sequestration and conversion. Initially, porous liquids were synthesized by dispersing OS-SiO2 (5 and 15 %) in ILs (tetrabutylphosphonium laurate (LA) and tetrabutylphosphonium myristate (MA). Replacing polymer (P) with ILs significantly reduced the viscosity from 9.7 to ≈ 1.1 (LA-PLs) and 1.7 Pa.s (MA-PLsand). The low viscosity of hybrid porous liquids offers enhanced CO2 uptake. Hybrid porous liquid was prepared by dispersing nCA (≈ 0.01 mM) into porous liquids, and 1 w/v % water was added to initiate the carbon mineralization reaction to form an industrially valued product like CaCO3. This Research work has been published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2024, 12, 5799–5808)
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The societal impact of this innovation includes mitigating CO2 emissions, addressing climate change, and promoting sustainable industrial practices through efficient carbon capture and conversion. Additionally, the production of industrially applicable calcium carbonate offers economic benefits and contributes to the circular economy by repurposing CO2 waste into valuable resources.
Environmental Technology, Chemical Manufacturing, Energy, Construction, Research and Development.
- Carbon Capture and Utilization
- Environmental Remediation
- Sustainable Chemistry
- Industrial Manufacturing
- Construction Materials
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