Electrode

Organic chemistry

Process engineering

Carbon dioxide

Composite number

Absorption (acoustics)

Adsorption

Engineering

Catalysis

Carbon fibers

Physical chemistry

Composite material

Syngas

Pressure swing adsorption

Flue gas

Aqueous solution

Chemistry

Materials science

Alkanolamine

Triethylamine

Electrochemistry

Nature Communications

Carbon capture and utilization technology has been studied for its practical ability to reduce CO2 emissions and enable economical chemical production. The main challenge of this technology is that a large amount of thermal energy must be provided to supply high-purity CO2 and purify the product. Herein, we propose a new concept called reaction swing absorption, which produces synthesis gas (syngas) with net-zero CO2 emission through direct electrochemical CO2 reduction in a newly proposed amine solution, triethylamine. Experimental investigations show high CO2 absorption rates (>84%) of triethylamine from low CO2 concentrated flue gas. In addition, the CO Faradaic efficiency in a triethylamine supplied membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer is approximately 30% (@-200 mA cm-2), twice higher than those in conventional alkanolamine solvents. Based on the experimental results and rigorous process modeling, we reveal that reaction swing absorption produces high pressure syngas at a reasonable cost with negligible CO2 emissions. This system provides a fundamental solution for the CO2 crossover and low system stability of electrochemical CO2 reduction.

Toward economical application of carbon capture and utilization technology with near-zero carbon emission