Effects of CO2 dissolution in electrochemically relevant ionic liquids

• Grant number: 21/11332-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2021
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Manuel Torresi
• Grantee: Lorenzo Kesikowski Follador
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP)
• Associated research grant: 20/15230-5 - Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation - RCG2I, AP.PCPE

Abstract

With the growing need to control the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, research on carbon capture and storage (CSS) is increasing. The captured carbon can be made into products with high value-added, but the conversion processes are yet to be developed. Ionic Liquids (ILs) are a promising technology for carbon capture and transformation, due to their considerable economic advantages and environmental friendliness - they can be recycled many times and used at standard laboratory conditions. Because of their ionic nature, ILs are good electrolytes and possibly make for a good reaction environment for the reduction of CO2. We seek to use computer simulations to evaluate the capabilities of several ILs in solvating carbon dioxide whilst still keeping solubility and viscosity properties that allow the electrochemical reduction reaction. These properties will be experimentally verified to determine if reduction of CO2 is possible within the liquid's electrochemical window. (AU)