Life Cycle Assessment of Innovative Carbon Dioxide Selective Membranes from Low Carbon Emission Sources: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Carbon capture has been an important topic of the twenty-first century because of the elevating carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere. CO2 in the atmosphere is above 420 parts per million (ppm) as of 2022, 70 ppm higher than 50 years ago. Carbon capture research and development has mostly been centered around higher concentration flue gas streams. For example, flue gas streams from steel and cement industries have been largely ignored due to lower associated CO2 concentrations and higher capture and processing costs. Capture technologies such as solvent-based, adsorption-based, cryogenic distillation, and pressure-swing adsorption are under research, but many suffer from higher costs and life cycle impacts. Membrane-based capture processes are considered cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. Over the past three decades, our research group at Idaho National Laboratory has led the development of several polyphosphazene polymer chemistries and has demonstrated their selectivity for CO2 over nitrogen (N2). Poly[bis((2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)phosphazene] (MEEP) has shown the highest selectivity. A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to determine the life cycle feasibility of the MEEP polymer material compared to other CO2-selective membranes and separation processes. The MEEP-based membrane processes emit at least 42% less equivalent CO2 than Pebax-based membrane processes. Similarly, MEEP-based membrane processes produce 34–72% less CO2 than conventional separation processes. In all studied categories, MEEP-based membranes report lower emissions than Pebax-based membranes and conventional separation processes.

Photo/electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to C2+ Products on MOF‐Based Catalysts

“…Increased global warming and climate change caused by over‐released CO 2 are becoming one of the most pressing problems for current society [7] . In 2022, the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 was estimated to be above 420 ppm, and may further increase ~42.52 % through to 2100 [8] . Photo/electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to value‐added fuels is attractive to utilize renewable energy source and reduce atmospheric CO 2 concentration to solve the environmental and energy problems simultaneously [9] .…”

“…[7] In 2022, the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 was estimated to be above 420 ppm, and may further increase ~42.52 % through to 2100. [8] Photo/electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to value-added fuels is attractive to utilize renewable energy source and reduce atmospheric CO 2 concentration to solve the environmental and energy problems simultaneously. [9] Up to now, no matter photocatalytic or electrocatalytic approach, the reduction products of CO 2 are mainly one carbon (C1), such as two electrons reduced C1 products of CO and HCOOH, and further multielectrons reduced monohydrocarbons of CH 3 OH and CH 4 .…”