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Separation and concentration of CO2 from air using a humidity-driven molten-carbonate membrane

Author

Listed:
  • Ian S. Metcalfe

    (Newcastle University)

  • Greg A. Mutch

    (Newcastle University)

  • Evangelos I. Papaioannou

    (Newcastle University)

  • Sotiria Tsochataridou

    (Newcastle University)

  • Dragos Neagu

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Dan J. L. Brett

    (University College London)

  • Francesco Iacoviello

    (University College London)

  • Thomas S. Miller

    (University College London)

  • Paul R. Shearing

    (University College London
    University of Oxford)

  • Patricia A. Hunt

    (Imperial College London, White City Campus
    Victoria University of Wellington)

Abstract

Separation processes are substantially more difficult when the species to be separated is highly dilute. To perform any dilute separation, thermodynamic and kinetic limitations must be overcome. Here we report a molten-carbonate membrane that can ‘pump’ CO2 from a 400 ppm input stream (representative of air) to an output stream with a higher concentration of CO2, by exploiting ambient energy in the form of a humidity difference. The substantial H2O concentration difference across the membrane drives CO2 permeation ‘uphill’ against its own concentration difference, analogous to active transport in biological membranes. The introduction of this H2O concentration difference also results in a kinetic enhancement that boosts the CO2 flux by an order of magnitude even as the CO2 input stream concentration is decreased by three orders of magnitude from 50% to 400 ppm. Computational modelling shows that this enhancement is due to the H2O-mediated formation of carriers within the molten salt that facilitate rapid CO2 transport.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian S. Metcalfe & Greg A. Mutch & Evangelos I. Papaioannou & Sotiria Tsochataridou & Dragos Neagu & Dan J. L. Brett & Francesco Iacoviello & Thomas S. Miller & Paul R. Shearing & Patricia A. Hunt, 2024. "Separation and concentration of CO2 from air using a humidity-driven molten-carbonate membrane," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(9), pages 1074-1083, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:9:y:2024:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-024-01588-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-024-01588-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David S. Sholl & Ryan P. Lively, 2016. "Seven chemical separations to change the world," Nature, Nature, vol. 532(7600), pages 435-437, April.
    2. Giulia Realmonte & Laurent Drouet & Ajay Gambhir & James Glynn & Adam Hawkes & Alexandre C. Köberle & Massimo Tavoni, 2019. "An inter-model assessment of the role of direct air capture in deep mitigation pathways," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
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