(44d) Innovating Membranes for Carbon Capture: From Material Synthesis to Process Prototype

Sustainable energy and environment, to a large extent, hinge on the acquisition, capture, and utilization of small molecules such as CO₂. As an energy-efficient separation technology, polymeric membranes have gained traction for carbon capture. Yet, designing them to efficiently handle small molecules with minimal size differences remains a notable challenge, especially in terms of achieving adequate gas selectivity using scalable membrane materials. This presentation will focus on our work in designing facilitated transport membranes (FTMs), where carriers are incorporated to mediate the diffusion of reactive penetrants over inert ones. In the first part, the molecular engineering of FTMs employing amines and amidines as carriers for CO₂ capture will be discussed. This resulted in the development of a high-performance membrane with a CO₂ permeance of 4,200 GPU and a CO₂/N₂ selectivity of 165. The second part will describe the technology upscaling process, progressing from membrane coupons to roll-to-roll continuous membrane fabrication, and ultimately to membrane module fabrication. Subsequently, the construction of a process prototype based on a two-stage enriching cascade design will be outlined. Field test data with actual flue gases will also be presented to address issues regarding membrane scalability, operability, and stability. Finally, the calibration and validation of the process model using field test data will be discussed, which facilitated the adjustment of operating conditions to accommodate varying flue gas compositions and CO₂ recovery needs. From molecular to process level, our endeavors aim to pave the way towards deployable membrane solutions for carbon capture.