Invention Reference Number
A new ionic liquid system has been developed to enhance carbon capture performance by leveraging a cascade CO2 chemisorption mechanism. The system uses a specially designed sorbent that facilitates the sequential capture of multiple CO2 molecules under mild conditions. This innovation addresses the high energy costs and limited uptake capacity of traditional sorbents and presents a promising pathway for industrial-scale carbon management.
Description
The technology is centered on a novel class of ionic liquid system (IL) solvents derived from carbanion structures with conjugated and asymmetric features. These ILs enable the sequential integration of CO2 molecules through a cooperative mechanism involving proton transfer and molecular rearrangement rather than strong chemical bonding. This approach lowers the energy required for regeneration and increases uptake efficiency, with the sorbent capable of capturing more than one CO2 molecule per active site. Additionally, a variant of the system exhibits phase-changing behavior that enables solvent-free regeneration at low temperatures. The sorbents demonstrate excellent stability across multiple cycles and maintain performance without the need for elevated thermal input, supporting their practical use in large-scale operations.
Benefits
- High-capacity CO2 capture enabled by cascade insertion
- Low-energy regeneration under mild conditions or vacuum
- Long-term cycling stability with minimal degradation
Applications and Industries
- Post-combustion carbon capture in power generation and heavy industry
- Direct air capture systems for atmospheric CO2 removal
- Sustainable chemical processing
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
