Quinone/carbon hybrid material architectures for energy efficient and sustainable electrochemical direct air capture of carbon dioxide (QuiCCoDAC)

Emissions of climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) and the associated negative effects on people and the environment are increasing worldwide. The filtering of CO2 directly from the air (Direct Air Capture, DAC) is therefore seen as an important target for "negative emissions". This process represents a technical and scientific challenge that will be researched in this project.

A promising DAC technology is based on CO2 sorption with functional molecules that can be switched into a CO2-binding form by reversible redox processes. This method is particularly efficient as it works electrochemically instead of thermally. Chemical motifs such as quinones are typically used for this, but are usually obtained from fossil raw materials.

In the QuiCCoDAC project, Dr. Tilmann Neubert wants to further develop this technology in the interests of a sustainable circular economy. In particular, quinones from renewable raw materials are combined with equally sustainable, porous carbon materials in order to obtain electrodes with a high CO2 binding capacity and a high proportion of biogenic carbon. The electrolytes used are also to be made more sustainable according to the principles of green chemistry.