Single-Pass Demonstration of Integrated Capture and Catalytic Conversion of CO from Simulated Flue Gas to Methanol in a Water-Lean Carbon Capture Solvent.

Here, we demonstrate an integrated semibatch simultaneous CO capture and conversion to methanol process using a water-lean solvent, -(2-ethoxyethyl)-3-morpholinopropan-1-amine (2-EEMPA), that serves as both the capture solvent and subsequent condensed-phase medium for the catalytic hydrogenation of CO. CO is captured from simulated coal-derived flue gas at a target >90 mol % capture efficiency, with a continuous slipstream of CO-rich solvent delivered to a fixed bed catalytic reactor for catalytic hydrogenation. A single-pass conversion rate >60 C-mol % and selectivity >80 C-mol % are observed for methanol at relatively low temperatures (<200 °C) in the condensed phase of the carbon capture solvent.

Tetrameric self-assembling of water-lean solvents enables carbamate anhydride-based CO capture chemistry.

Carbon capture, utilization and storage is a key yet cost-intensive technology for the fight against climate change. Single-component water-lean solvents have emerged as promising materials for post-combustion CO capture, but little is known regarding their mechanism of action. Here we present a combined experimental and modelling study of single-component water-lean solvents, and we find that CO capture is accompanied by the self-assembly of reverse-micelle-like tetrameric clusters in solution.

Non-thermal plasma-assisted rapid hydrogenolysis of polystyrene to high yield ethylene.

The evergrowing plastic production and the caused concerns of plastic waste accumulation have stimulated the need for waste plastic chemical recycling/valorization. Current methods suffer from harsh reaction conditions and long reaction time. Herein we demonstrate a non-thermal plasma-assisted method for rapid hydrogenolysis of polystyrene (PS) at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, generating high yield (>40 wt%) of C-C hydrocarbons and ethylene being the dominant gas product (Selectivity of ethylene, S > 70%) within ~10 min.

Improved Polydopamine Deposition in Amine-Functionalized Silica Aerogels for Enhanced UV Absorption.

Silica aerogels are interesting porous materials with extremely low density and high surface area, making them advantageous for a number of aerospace and catalysis applications. Here, we report the preparation of polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized silica aerogels using an coating method, wherein the dopamine monomer was allowed to diffuse through the underlying structure of the gels in the absence of any external base and polymerize on the surface of the gel. The use of a siloxane precursor with an amine functionality decorates the silica backbone, allowing for a superior PDA coating, as evident in the darker color of PDA-coated amine-functionalized silica gels than PDA-coated silica-only gels and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results.