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Molecules
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The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies
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The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 23712

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zheng Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: artificial photosynthesis; CO2 conversion; water splitting; photocatalysis
Prof. Dr. Angela Dibenedetto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
2. CIRCC, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: catalysis; CO2 conversion; green chemistry; integration of biotechnology and catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid increase in CO2 emission from fossil fuel combustion has drawn tremendous attention all over the world, because of the greenhouse effect of CO2 resulting in serious eco-environmental problems. It is quite urgent to control and reduce the emission of CO2 through regulating traditional energy consumption and improving the utilization of clean energy. More importantly, CO2 is a carbon-containing molecule, which can be recycled and converted into valuable fuels and chemical products via capture and utilization (CCU) technologies. Therefore, seeking environment-benign, low-cost, energy-efficient methods and technologies to capture and reuse CO2 is a significant task for sustainable development.

The focus of this Special Issue is to offer an overview and a comprehensive description of state-of-the-art advances in the field of CO2 capture and utilization. Our aim is to gather contributions from the most significant researchers in this field to this Special Issue. Research or review articles which cover innovative aspects and technologies related to pre- and post-combustion CO2 capture, liquid and solid CO2 adsorbents, conversion of CO2 through homogeneous catalysis and heterogeneous catalysis, and direct utilization of CO2 will be welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zheng Wang
Prof. Dr. Angela Dibenedetto 
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • pre- and post-combustion CO2 capture
  • liquid and solid CO2 adsorbents
  • catalytic/photocatalytic/electrocatalytic/biocatalytic conversion of CO2
  • direct utilization of CO2

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4077 KiB  
Article
Aluminosilicate-Supported Catalysts for the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates by Reaction of CO2 with the Corresponding Epoxides
by Luciano Atzori, Adrien Comès, Luca Fusaro, Carmela Aprile and Maria Giorgia Cutrufello
Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8883; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248883 - 14 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2055
Abstract
Functionalized aluminosilicate materials were studied as catalysts for the conversion of different cyclic carbonates to the corresponding epoxides by the addition of CO2. Aluminum was incorporated in the mesostructured SBA-15 silica network. Thereafter, functionalization with imidazolium chloride or magnesium oxide was [...] Read more.
Functionalized aluminosilicate materials were studied as catalysts for the conversion of different cyclic carbonates to the corresponding epoxides by the addition of CO2. Aluminum was incorporated in the mesostructured SBA-15 silica network. Thereafter, functionalization with imidazolium chloride or magnesium oxide was performed on the Al_SBA-15 supports. The isomorphic substitution of Si with Al and the resulting acidity of the supports were investigated via 27Al magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and NH3 adsorption microcalorimetry. The Al content and the amount of MgO were quantified via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis. The anchoring of the imidazolium salt was assessed by 29Si and 13C MAS NMR spectroscopy and quantified by combustion chemical analysis. Textural and structural properties of supports and catalysts were studied by N2 physisorption and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The functionalized systems were then tested as catalysts for the conversion of CO2 and epoxides to cyclic carbonates in a batch reactor at 100 or 125 °C, with an initial CO2 pressure (at room temperature) of 25 bar. Whereas the activity of the MgO/xAl_SBA-15 systems was moderate for the conversion of glycidol to the corresponding cyclic carbonate, the Al_SBA-15-supported imidazolium chloride catalysts gave excellent results over different epoxides (conversion of glycidol, epichlorohydrin, and styrene oxide up to 89%, 78%, and 18%, respectively). Reusability tests were also performed. Even when some deactivation from one run to the other was observed, a comparison with the literature showed the Al-containing imidazolium systems to be promising catalysts. The fully heterogeneous nature of the present catalysts, where the inorganic support on which the imidazolium species are immobilized also contains the Lewis acid sites, gives them a further advantage with respect to most of the catalytic systems reported in the literature so far. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies)
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16 pages, 3328 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Amine-Functionalized Hierarchically Micro-Mesoporous Silicon Composites for CO2 Capture in Flue Gas
by Yilan Chen, Junjie Wu, Xin Wang, Minyi Liu and Yamin Liu
Molecules 2022, 27(11), 3429; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27113429 - 26 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1727
Abstract
An efficient CO2 adsorbent with a hierarchically micro-mesoporous structure and a large number of amine groups was fabricated by a two-step synthesis technique. Its structural properties, surface groups, thermal stability and CO2 adsorption performance were fully investigated. The analysis results show [...] Read more.
An efficient CO2 adsorbent with a hierarchically micro-mesoporous structure and a large number of amine groups was fabricated by a two-step synthesis technique. Its structural properties, surface groups, thermal stability and CO2 adsorption performance were fully investigated. The analysis results show that the prepared CO2 adsorbent has a specific hierarchically micro-mesoporous structure and highly uniformly dispersed amine groups that are favorable for the adsorption of CO2. At the same time, the CO2 adsorption capacity of the prepared adsorbent can reach a maximum of 3.32 mmol-CO2/g-adsorbent in the actual flue gas temperature range of 303–343 K. In addition, the kinetic analysis results indicate that both the adsorption process and the desorption process have rapid adsorption/desorption rates. Finally, the fitting of the CO2 adsorption/desorption experimental data by Avrami’s fractional kinetic model shows that the CO2 adsorption rate is mainly controlled by the intra-particle diffusion rate, and the temperature has little effect on the adsorption rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies)
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10 pages, 637 KiB  
Article
Do Bio-Ethanol and Synthetic Ethanol Produced from Air-Captured CO2 Have the Same Degree of “Greenness” and Relevance to “Fossil C”?
by Michele Aresta
Molecules 2022, 27(7), 2223; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27072223 - 29 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2557
Abstract
This paper discusses the epochal change in the reputation of carbon dioxide, which is now considered as a raw material alternative to fossil C for the synthesis of chemicals, materials and fuels, as opposed to a waste material that must be confined underground. [...] Read more.
This paper discusses the epochal change in the reputation of carbon dioxide, which is now considered as a raw material alternative to fossil C for the synthesis of chemicals, materials and fuels, as opposed to a waste material that must be confined underground. In particular, its use as renewable C is compared to biomass. In this paper, a specific point is discussed: is ethanol (or any fuel) produced via the catalytic conversion of atmospheric CO2 different from the relevant biomass-sourced product(s)? The answer to this question is very important because it ultimately determines whether or not fuels derived from atmospheric CO2 (either e-fuels or solar fuels) have the right to be subsidized in the same way that biofuels are. Conclusions are drawn demonstrating that ethanol derived from atmospheric CO2 deserves the same benefits as bio-ethanol, with the additional advantage that its synthesis can be less pollutant than its production via the fermentation of sugars. The same concept can be applied to any fuel derived from atmospheric CO2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies)
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Review

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14 pages, 2047 KiB  
Review
Trends on CO2 Capture with Microalgae: A Bibliometric Analysis
by Alejandra M. Miranda, Fabian Hernandez-Tenorio, David Ocampo, Gabriel J. Vargas and Alex A. Sáez
Molecules 2022, 27(15), 4669; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27154669 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4634
Abstract
The alarming levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are an environmental problem that affects the economic growth of the world. CO2 emissions represent penalties and restrictions due to the high carbon footprint. Therefore, sustainable strategies are required to reduce the negative [...] Read more.
The alarming levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are an environmental problem that affects the economic growth of the world. CO2 emissions represent penalties and restrictions due to the high carbon footprint. Therefore, sustainable strategies are required to reduce the negative impact that occurs. Among the potential systems for CO2 capture are microalgae. These are defined as photosynthetic microorganisms that use CO2 and sunlight to obtain oxygen (O2) and generate value-added products such as biofuels, among others. Despite the advantages that microalgae may present, there are still technical–economic challenges that limit industrial-scale commercialization and the use of biomass in the production of added-value compounds. Therefore, this study reviews the current state of research on CO2 capture with microalgae, for which bibliometric analysis was used to establish the trends of the subject in terms of scientometric parameters. Technological advances in the use of microalgal biomass were also identified. Additionally, it was possible to establish the different cooperation networks between countries, which showed interactions in the search to reduce CO2 concentrations through microalgae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies)
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25 pages, 3476 KiB  
Review
Insights on Cryogenic Distillation Technology for Simultaneous CO2 and H2S Removal for Sour Gas Fields
by Tengku Nur Adibah Tengku Hassan, Azmi Mohd Shariff, Mohd Mu’izzuddin Mohd Pauzi, Mai Syadiah Khidzir and Amiza Surmi
Molecules 2022, 27(4), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041424 - 19 Feb 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 11384
Abstract
Natural gas demand has dramatically increased due to the emerging growth of the world economy and industry. Presently, CO2 and H2S content in gas fields accounts for up to 90% and 15%, respectively. Apart from fulfilling the market demand, CO [...] Read more.
Natural gas demand has dramatically increased due to the emerging growth of the world economy and industry. Presently, CO2 and H2S content in gas fields accounts for up to 90% and 15%, respectively. Apart from fulfilling the market demand, CO2 and H2S removal from natural gas is critical due to their corrosive natures, the low heating value of natural gas and the greenhouse gas effect. To date, several gas fields have remained unexplored due to limited technologies to monetize the highly sour natural gas. A variety of conventional technologies have been implemented to purify natural gas such as absorption, adsorption and membrane and cryogenic separation. The application of these technologies in natural gas upgrading are also presented. Among these commercial technologies, cryogenic technology has advanced rapidly in gas separation and proven ideally suitable for bulk CO2 removal due to its independence from absorbents or adsorbents, which require a larger footprint, weight and energy. Present work comprehensively reviews the mechanisms and potential of the advanced nonconventional cryogenic separation technologies for processing of natural gas streams with high CO2 and H2S content. Moreover, the prospects of emerging cryogenic technologies for future commercialization exploitation are highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The CO2 Economy: CO2 Capture and Reuse Technologies)
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