Development of Value-Added Products from Coffee Capsules for utilization in CO¿ Photoconversion

• Grant number: 24/21541-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Maraisa Gonçalves
• Grantee: Karolina Furukawa da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increase in environmental pollution caused by the improper disposal of solid waste, emissions of effluents, and polluting gases represents a critical challenge for the future, with serious environmental and economic implications. To mitigate these impacts, it is necessary to develop innovative solutions that effectively reduce pollution. In this context, the use of lignocellulosic and polymeric waste to produce new materials emerges as a sustainable and economically viable alternative. This project proposes the valorization of coffee capsule waste (polymeric material and coffee grounds) through the production of activated carbon (AC) using different activating agents. The obtained ACs will be evaluated as adsorbent materials for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO¿), one of the main contributors to global warming. In addition to CO¿ capture, the project aims to convert the adsorbed CO¿ into value-added products, such as C1 compounds like methane, methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid via photocatalysis. Photocatalysis, which uses light to excite semiconductor materials, is a promising alternative for CO¿ photoconversion, as it allows operation under moderate temperature and pressure conditions. In this project, AC will be combined with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). based on iron and copper, to create heterostructures (AC/MOF) with both adsorptive and photocatalytic properties, aiming to maximize the efficiency of CO¿ capture and photoconversion. Currently, the CO¿ photoconversion process still faces technical limitations, particularly the need for materials that combine high adsorption capacity with photocatalytic efficiency. In this context, the development of materials with photocatalytic properties presents significant potential for optimizing CO¿ capture and conversion into value-added products. All produced materials will be characterized and tested to evaluate the efficiency of the adsorption and conversion processes, as well as the feasibility of applying the generated materials. This approach is expected to offer an innovative and viable solution for waste valorization, contributing to the circular economy and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.