(363m) Integrated Capture and Catalytic Conversion Systems of CO2 from Industrial Flue Gas to Value-Added Chemicals

With an ever-increasing demand for energy applications, fossil fuel-based processes have fallen short of maintaining the energy supply. To fulfill such an energy supply, anthropogenic activities have adopted pathways that result in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Among the GHGs, CO₂ has been identified as one of the major contributors to the increase in global temperatures and associated disruption to the flora and fauna. While there has been a surge in the development of technologies for CO₂ capture and upgradation to value-added fuels, electrochemical CO₂ reduction (eCO2R) stands out among the rest based on the availability of cheap electrons from nature. With the present progress of eCO2R systems, the reported performance of most of these technologies is heavily contingent on a pure CO₂ source. However, on a commercial scale, eCO2R would require an additional CO₂ separation step, thereby impacting the overall profitability of the process.

Throughout the years as a Ph.D. student, I have worked extensively in developing integrated systems that can capture CO₂ from industrial flue gas-like conditions and catalytically convert CO₂ to value-added fuels. The work ranges from utilizing deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, aprotic solvents up to proton-rich solvents such as H₂O for capture and electrochemically converting CO₂ from flue gas like conditions to C₂ products such as ethylene and oxalic acid. Additionally, I have dedicated a significant time in exploring the catalyst characterization, catalyst surface engineering and the role of ion-intermediate interaction out to justify the faradaic efficiency of 70% for C₂ and C₂₊ products. The fact that catalysts are comprised of earth-abundant metals such as Pb and Cu makes the integrated system a readily deployable candidate for the remediation of CO₂ from point sources.

Research Interests

My research interest lies in applying my specialized problem-solving skills, honed in laboratory settings, to overcome challenges encountered during the scale-up of catalytic processes for environmental remediation. In the context of electrochemical CO₂ reduction, I am particularly interested in addressing issues such as enhancing mass transfer efficiency near the catalyst surface, managing electrolyte conditions, and optimizing flow dynamics to mitigate stagnant zones. Additionally, I am enthusiastic about leveraging my expertise in data science to analyze experimental data and uncover meaningful correlations. I am driven by the opportunity to independently innovate and collaborate across disciplines, making meaningful contributions to industrial research and development.