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Title: Photochemically-Driven CO2 Release Using a Metastable-State Photoacid for Energy Efficient Direct Air Capture

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical Sciences Division
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical Sciences Division; University of Notre Dame, IN (United States)
  3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical Sciences Division; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
  4. Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL (United States)
  5. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Manufacturing Science Division

Abstract One of the grand challenges underlying current direct air capture (DAC) technologies relates to the intensive energy cost for sorbent regeneration and CO 2 release, making the massive scale (GtCO 2 /year) deployment required to have a positive impact on climate change economically unfeasible. This challenge underscores the critical need to develop new DAC processes with substantially reduced regeneration energies. Here, we report a photochemically‐driven approach for CO 2 release by exploiting the unique properties of an indazole metastable‐state photoacid (mPAH). Our measurements on simulated and amino acid‐based DAC systems revealed the potential of mPAH to be used for CO 2 release cycles by regulating pH changes and associated isomers driven by light. Upon irradiating with moderate intensity light, a ≈55 % and ≈68 % to ≈78 % conversion of total inorganic carbon to CO 2 was found for the simulated and amino acid‐based DAC systems, respectively. Our results confirm the feasibility of on‐demand CO 2 release under ambient conditions using light instead of heat, thereby providing an energy efficient pathway for the regeneration of DAC sorbents.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB); USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; SC0022214; FWP ERKPCG25
OSTI ID:
1989557
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1989239
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Vol. 62, Issue 29; ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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