Deep eutectic solvents for CO2 capture: thermodynamic properties and vibrational spectroscopy

• Grant number: 22/06710-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Rômulo Augusto Ando
• Grantee: Pedro Henrique de Paula Sabanay
• 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

The growing demand for viable methodologies for capturing CO2 has motivated the emergence of several liquids and solid materials that are easy to prepare, cheap, recyclable, and that is not harmful to the environment. In this context, a series of solvents called neoteric have been investigated in recent decades. Among them, there is the class of ionic liquids (LI), which despite being promising, still has numerous limitations, mainly due to the high cost associated with its production. Recently, the class of deep eutectic solvents (DES) has gained increasing prominence as it maintains many of the advantageous properties of LI, with the advantage that they are easy to prepare and inexpensive. DES is essentially formed from a salt mixed with hydrogen bond donor molecules, which causes a drastic decrease in the melting point, forming a liquid eutectic mixture at room temperature. The advantage of modulating properties by combining different salts with neutral molecules is that it makes these materials promising for different applications. In this project we intend to carry out a systematic study of the CO2 absorption capacity by different DES, combining spectroscopic measurements (Raman, IR, and NMR) with measurements of thermodynamic properties (DH and DG of adsorption). Furthermore, we intend to evaluate DES as a means for converting CO2 into carbamates and carbonates and to verify the feasibility of recycling the starting material.(AU)