Prof Don MacElroy, Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology
A new technology is being developed by Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology and UCD Conway Institute investigators, which aims to capture carbon dioxide from exhaust streams. The research is being led by Professor Don MacElroy and Dr Damian Mooney from the UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering and Dr Matthias Tacke and his research group from the UCD School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
Greenhouse gas emissions are widely believed to contribute to climate change and under the Kyoto Protocol Ireland agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 13 per cent above the 1990 levels by 2012. However, the EPA reported that emissions in 2004 were 23 per cent above the 1990 levels, indicating that Ireland is a long way from meeting the target.
The most important greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide which is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned to provide power and heat for industry, transportation, homes and businesses. One way to reduce emissions is to capture carbon dioxide from the exhaust streams of industrial processes or cars before it is released into the atmosphere.
"To date no membranes have been developed to separate carbon dioxide at temperatures of greater than 400°C from combustion or other high temperature process gases," explains Professor MacElroy. "Our preliminary results show that ultra-thin nanoporous membranes can separate carbon dioxide from nitrogen at 600°C."
Research work carried out by Dr Laurence Cuffe as part of his postdoctoral programme involved developing a composite membrane on Vycor® glass.
"After capture carbon dioxide could be recycled by returning it to an artificial carbon cycle. It is a valuable commodity and under appropriate processing conditions there is the possibility of converting it into low molecular weight chemical commodities or recycling it into methanol. Recycling captured carbon dioxide could well be part of the quest for renewable energy sources," concludes Professor MacElroy.
References:
Cuffe L, MacElroy JMD, Tacke M, et al. The development of nanoporous membranes for separation of carbon dioxide at high temperatures JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE 272 (1-2): 6-10 MAR 15 2006
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