Project Info
Molten Carbonate Membranes For High Temperature CO2 Separations
Doug Way | dway@mines.edu
Zhenyu Zhang, graduate student | zhenyuzhang@mymail.mines.edu
Molten alkali metal carbonate membranes are a promising technology for high temperature CO2 separations, CO2 capture and other energy conversion applications such as membrane reactors. These membranes consist of carbonate salts infiltrated into a porous substrate consisting of a metal-coated ceramic material that conducts both oxygen anions and electrons. I hope this project is interesting because this technology could potentially be used to remove CO2 from power plant stack gases or other stationary sources of CO2. There is an intriguing possibility that we could pump CO2 uphill in concentration, as described in the technical paper posted on my Google drive (see the link below).
For more information:
Draft of journal article from our group submitted for publication:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AmBQhnCpEWLsjZcya959AhB9RpzikfMb/view?usp=sharing
Journal article describing how to pump CO2 uphill with a molten carbonate membrane:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1szZ4pneUmc2UIBACAtRfssam1m_L8AyR/view?usp=sharing
Grand Challenge: Develop carbon sequestration methods
Student Preparation
Qualifications
At least junior standing in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Dept. by fall of 2020. Students must have successfully completed the CBE Material and Energy Balances course.
Student is required to attend the basic lab safety training offered by Environmental Health and Safety at Mines.
Time Commitment
4-5 hrs/week is sufficient but if the student’s schedule allows for more time, I will pay them extra from my Research Development account.
Skills/Techniques Gained
Membrane and catalyst synthesis and characterization, membrane reactor performance
measurements via mass spectrometer, gas chromatography, and FTIR sensors, materials characterization via SEM/TEM, XRD, and AFM.
Mentoring Plan
The undergraduate student receiving the fellowship will work with existing graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in the laboratory. We will have weekly meetings with Prof. Way, post-doctoral fellows, and the graduate students.