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Project title

From Bio-waste to Porous Graphene Materials: Novel Adsorbents for Advanced Atmospheric Carbon Capture

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)

Lead Applicant

Wolfgang Schmitt

Project Abstract

C4C-Capture pursues the synthesis and scale-up of novel porous carbon-based adsorbents with exceptional carbon dioxide (CO2) affinities facilitating the cyclic capture and release of atmospheric CO2. The focus is directed towards a scalable production of amine-functionalised porous 2D carbon materials that can sustainably be produced from Ireland’s biowaste resources. The targeted adsorbents will exhibit extraordinary CO2 affinities, will be stable, cheap, scalable, non-corrosive and non-toxic. Their CO2 binding capacities, in combination with their remarkably high thermal conductivity, is expected to enable CO2 capture at the lowest operational costs when used in a multi-cycle Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. Comprehensive life-cycle assessments that consider Ireland’s biomass/biowaste resource availability complement the synthetic experimental work and will provide input to Irish environmental policy. C4C-Capture cascades the circular bioeconomy principles. It produces advanced carbon-based adsorbents from biowaste to capture CO2, producing a pure carbon commodity that can be used in a future circular Irish carbon economy. DAC technologies target the removal of CO2 that is already in the atmosphere, mitigating distributed and mobile CO2 sources. In contrast to point-source capture, these systems can operate location-independent providing CO2 for local direct use or sequestration, hence lowering environmental impacts and costs associated with CO2 transport and storage. The DAC technology can be integrated in various industries at relatively small scale without significant process modifications, whilst co-location with waste heat suppliers and renewable energy sources lowers the carbon intensity and operational costs. In contrast to flue gases, the ambient air is free of aggressive contaminants. This reduces adsorbent degradation effects and allows the production of pure CO2 - a highly valuable feedstock in circular economies of decarbonized future societies (e.g. for the production food, pharmaceutical industry or for e-fuel production for hard-to-abate sectors). A major drawback of the currently used DAC adsorbents stems from their high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity, resulting in slow adsorbent regeneration cycles and high energy requirements when the CO2 is released at elevated temperatures (ca. 80-100°C). C4C-Capture aims to develop sustainable graphene adsorbents, exploiting their extraordinary intrinsic thermal conductivity. It brings together the unique local synergistic expertise in DAC technology development, synthetic chemistry and liquid exfoliation methods that enable the production of porous graphene at industrial quantities. Specific deliverables include: 1: Preparation of graphene materials from Ireland’s biowaste/biomass (Surface areas: 50-1000 m2/g; bulk thermal conductivity >0.5 W/m·K); 2: Functionalisation of carbon materials with primary amines to reach CO2 capture capacities of 1-5 mmol CO2/g; 3: Performance characterisations in DAC prototypes reaching energy reductions >25% in comparison to the state-of-the-art. 4: Life-cycle assessments of the DAC technology and establishment of policy guidance documents assessing Ireland’s biowaste resource availability. The project is accompanied by diverse dissemination, communication and knowledge-transfer activities.

Grant Approved

659860.72

Research Hub

Facilitating a Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

Integration of the Circular Economy and Bioeconomy into climate and biodiversity measures

Start Date

01/09/2025

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2029