Concept and Methodology

Concept and Methodology

METAMORPH poskytne integrovaný přístup k zachycování a přeměně CO2 na methanol a další cenné chemikálie pomocí hybridních nanostrukturovaných membrán. Klíčovou inovací METAMORPH je kombinace adsorbérů CO2 a fotokatalytických nanočástic v jednom systému, navržená ke snížení dráhy difúze CO2 ke katalyzátoru. Očekává se, že to bude mít synergický účinek (poskytnout CO2 katalyzátorům a spotřebovat adsorbovaný CO2 umožňující další adsorpci a katalýzu) a vést k významnému zvýšení účinnosti fotokonverze. Kromě toho budou hybridní částice navíc kombinovány s nanovlákennými membránami, což dále zvětšuje povrch a poskytuje mechanickou stabilitu, která bude integrována do optimalizovaných fotoreaktorů pro uhlíkově neutrální syntézu cenných organických molekul. METAMORPH je založen na integraci následujících komponent:

• Materiál CCS na bázi karbonizovaného PANi s absorpční kapacitou CO2.
• Nové, bezpečné a levné fotokatalyzátory založené na kvantových tečkách v kombinaci s anorganickými NP (tj. TiO2).
• Hybridní karbonizované PANi / fotokatalytické částice s kombinovanou sorpcí CO2 a fotokatalytickou účinností.
• Nové nanostrukturované a ohýbatelné elektrospunové membrány.
• Speciální fotoreaktory určené ke zvýšení účinnosti sběru světla.

Cíle projektu budou dosaženy splněním následujících úkolů (viz obrázek 1):

Figure 1: Summary of the METAMORPH’s work packages and timeline.

WP1 – Photocatalytic nanoparticles (SINTEF)

One of the major challenges in the development of cost-effective and efficient solar fuel generation is the scarcity of highly active, cheap, and abundant photocatalysts. The project will focus on synthesis strategies of modified TiO2 (cheap, abundant, stable) nanoparticles and utilization of co-catalysts based on earth abundant elements (ex. Co, Cu or Ni-based) as well as carbon based nanomaterials (graphene quantum dots, C3N4).

WP2 – Hybrid polyaniline nanoparticles (UCT, SINTEF)

To increase the efficiency of the CO2 conversion the project aims to incorporate photocatalyst nanoparticles into hybrid materials, i.e. conductive polymers and carbon-based materials. In the case of conductive polymers, we will use our methodology to prepare composite porous materials [3] and photocatalytic nanoparticles will be coated by the layer of conductive polymer made out of polyaniline, polypyrrole or polythiophene [1, 4]. This procedure will be initially optimized for TiO2 particles [7], but when available other photocatalytic particles developed in WP1 will be considered as well.

WP3 – Preparation of nanofiber membranes with CO2 capture/photocatalytic nanoparticles for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) (INCU, UJEP, SINTEF)

The nanoparticles developed in WP1 and WP2 will be embedded into nanofibers using a high-throughput electrospinning system (see Figure 2). The project will primarily focus on polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl difluoride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethanes, polyvinyl alcohol (crosslinked)-based non-degradable fibres.

Figure 2: Multiple layers of nanostructures of METAMORPH membranes: the nanosized electrospun fibres will be loaded with adsorptive/catalytic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles will be composed of the porous carbonized PANi loaded with novel photocatalyst made of a combination of materials.

WP4 – Polymer nanofibers modified with carbonized PANi  and zeolite nanoparticles for selective CO2 capture and storage (CCS) (UCT, UJEP, INCU)

The carbonized PANi nanoparticles developed at UCT will be loaded into nanofibers (INCU) either by blend needleless electrospinning, sonocoating (modified dip  coating) or spray coating.

WP5 – Systems for carbon capture and utilization CCU (SINTEF, UCT)

The design of the photoreactor will be dependent on the form of the prepared photocatalytic materials. The photoreactors will be developed in two settings:

2. Single-step CO2 capture/photocatalytic conversion will be based on CO2 enrichment via a permeable foil designed for the terrestrial application.
3. Two-step system with separated CO2 capture and photocatalytic conversion where CO2 sorption and CO2 photoconversion will be split in two separate processes.

WP6 – Up-scaling: METAMORPH membrane production (INCU, SINTEF)

Based on functional studies, the production of the hybrid CO2 absorption and photocatalytic membranes will be up-scaled. A new pilot production line will be constructed and tested at InoCure.

WP7 – Up-scaling: photoreactor development (UCT, SINTEF) – M12-M40

The produced membranes will be integrated into newly designed photoreactors developed at SINTEF and UCT.

WP8: Functional studies in a real environment – terrestrial application (SINTEF)

The aim of this work package is to compare the proposed system with the conventional technologies with respect to environmental and economic criteria, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost analysis (LCCA), respectively.