CAREER: Leveraging Liquid-Liquid Interfaces for Innovative Electrochemical Carbon Capture

二氧化碳（CO2）排放是全球气温上升的重要原因。各种科学报告强调，迫切需要脱碳技术，如碳捕获，以减少二氧化碳排放和应对气候变化。然而，传统的基于热的碳捕获系统面临限制其实用性的技术挑战，包括高能量需求和吸收材料的热降解。电化学碳捕获（ECC）工艺正在被开发作为基于热的工艺的替代方案。ECC工艺是有利的，因为它们可以在中等温度下操作，并且是即插即用和模块化的。ECC过程也比类似的热过程更有效，仅依赖于可能完全来自可再生能源的电力。该项目将开发一种创新的ECC工艺，该工艺采用工程软接口，用于可扩展的，模块化的和环境可持续的CO2分离方法。这种方法推进了碳捕获科学，并支持国家科学基金会的使命，即通过直接解决二氧化碳减排问题来促进科学进步和国民健康。该项目的教育和推广举措，嵌入在调查员的气候学习融入现代教育模式，旨在激励未来的STEM一代。这些举措将在代表性不足的社区中产生特别大的影响，因为它们通过基于项目的学习将尖端研究融入教育内容，培养一个信息灵通和具有环保意识的社会。该项目旨在通过在两种不混溶电解质溶液之间的液-液界面上使用工程软界面来推进ECC。这种新方法解决了当前ECC工艺性能的局限性，例如对昂贵的离子选择性膜和氧气敏感性的依赖。这些工程接口将被开发和优化，以提高CO2分离性能和系统能量。最先进的扫描电化学显微镜将评估界面性能，确保研究方法的精度和创新。这项工作的更广泛的影响扩展到各种电化学应用，包括基于电化学的水处理和储能。此外，通过新颖的教育模块将这项研究与STEM教育相结合，为知识传播和学生参与气候变化解决方案提供了有效的平台。具体而言，本科职前STEM教师将通过基于项目的学习技术参与研究，这可以为他们的课程开发提供信息。这一全面的方法突出了该项目的潜力，大大有助于我们对ECC的科学理解及其应对气候变化的能力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions significantly contribute to the rise in global temperature. Various scientific reports emphasize the critical need for decarbonization technologies such as carbon capture to mitigate CO2 emissions and combat climate change. However, conventional heat-based carbon capture systems face technical challenges that limit their utility, including high energy requirements and the thermal degradation of absorbent materials. Electrochemical carbon capture (ECC) processes are being developed as an alternative to thermal-based processes. ECC processes are advantageous because they can operate at moderate temperatures and are plug-and-play and modular. ECC processes are also more efficient than similar thermal processes, relying solely on electricity potentially sourced entirely from renewables. This project will develop an innovative ECC process that employs engineered soft interfaces for a scalable, modular, and environmentally sustainable method of CO2 separation. This approach advances carbon capture science and supports the National Science Foundation's mission to promote scientific progress and national health by directly addressing CO2 emission mitigation. The project's educational and outreach initiatives, embedded in the investigator’s Climate Learning Integration in Modern Education model, aim to inspire future STEM generations. These initiatives will be particularly impactful within underrepresented communities because they integrate cutting-edge research into the educational content through project-based learning, fostering a well-informed and environmentally conscious society.The project aims to advance ECC by employing engineered soft interfaces at liquid-liquid interfaces between two immiscible electrolyte solutions. This novel approach addresses current ECC process performance limitations, such as the reliance on costly ion-selective membranes and oxygen gas sensitivity. These engineered interfaces will be developed and optimized for enhanced CO2 separation performance and system energetics. State-of-the-art scanning electrochemical microscopy will assess the interface performance, ensuring precision and innovation in the research methodology. The broader implications of this work extend to various electrochemical applications, including electrochemical-based water treatment and energy storage. Furthermore, integrating this research with STEM education through novel educational modules offers an effective platform for knowledge dissemination and student engagement in climate change solutions. Specifically, undergraduate pre-service STEM teachers will participate in the research through project-based learning techniques, which can inform the development of their curricula. This comprehensive approach highlights the project's potential to significantly contribute to our scientific understanding of ECCs and their capabilities in combating climate change.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.