REU Site: Cradle to the Grave - CO2 Opportunities and Challenges

技术摘要：本REU网站的主题是“从摇篮到坟墓-二氧化碳的机遇和挑战”。科学目标是利用跨学科团队在纳米科学，材料科学，多相催化，光谱学，电化学，数学建模和地质CO2储存方面的专业知识，以促进对新型材料和工艺在减少CO2环境影响方面的作用的理解。REU学生将参与尖端研究，包括先进的燃烧技术，CO2分离和封存，以及CO2和生物质到碳氢燃料的化学转化。燃烧方面的研究重点是富氧燃烧和整体煤气化联合循环。硫氧化物和痕量金属的气相化学将通过实验和动力学模型来阐明。通过提高燃烧环境的温度来提高能量产生效率将使燃气涡轮机叶片暴露于高度侵蚀性的环境。现代叶片由高强度超合金叶片、陶瓷热障涂层和金属/氧化物粘结涂层组成。REU学生将参与该项目的实验方面，包括使用最先进的高通量沉积和表征技术或这项工作的建模和数据挖掘方面。一旦产生CO2，必须从烟道气中捕获。这里的研究将强调产生新的单元操作，以有效地去除CO2和新的高容量吸附剂材料。碳形成了高能量密度燃料的支柱。因此，CO2中的C=O键需要转化回高能C-H和C-C键。这方面的项目范围从基础研究和改进成熟的技术，如电化学还原二氧化碳到更雄心勃勃的项目，这些项目依赖太阳能来促进转化。然而，CO2生产的绝对规模使得将CO2完全转化为化学品或烃燃料是不可行的。因此，需要储存二氧化碳，以减少能源生产对环境的影响，其规模超过以往任何尝试。这里的研究重点是二氧化碳的封存，特别是南卡罗来纳州地质构造中储存的长期稳定性。非技术性总结：我们国家以可持续的方式满足未来能源需求的能力对我们继续繁荣的能力至关重要。推进科学知识和发展各种可持续能源技术的智力劳动力将是这一奋进的中心。这个REU网站将培训和暴露我们未来的科学领导人在可持续能源的一般尖端研究，并在纳米科学，催化和二氧化碳捕获和储存特别。专业发展的努力将为学生提供所需的非技术知识和经验，以采取发现出实验室，并把它们投入社会。参加者将包括化学工程专业的大三和大四学生。特别强调将放在少数民族以及学生谁否则不会有机会做前沿研究.我们感谢工程教育和中心的部门的支持.

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The topic of this REU site is "Cradle to the grave - CO2 opportunities and challenges". The scientific objective is to leverage the expertise of an interdisciplinary team in nanoscience, materials science, heterogeneous catalysis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, mathematical modeling, and geological CO2 storage to advance the understanding of the role that novel materials and processes will play in reducing the environmental impact of CO2. The REU students will participate in cutting-edge research, ranging from advanced combustion technologies, CO2 separation and sequestration, and chemical conversion of CO2 and biomass to hydrocarbon fuels. The combustion research will focus on oxy-fuel combustion and integrated gasification combined cycle. Gas phase chemistry of sulfur oxides and trace metals will be elucidated by experiments and kinetic modeling. Increasing energy production efficiency by raising the temperature of combustion environments will expose gas turbine blades to highly aggressive environments. Modern blades consist of high strength super-alloys blades, ceramic thermal barrier coatings and metallic/oxide bond coats. REU students will participate in the experimental aspects of this project including using state-of-the-art high-throughput deposition and characterization techniques or in the modeling and data mining aspects of this work. Once CO2 has been generated, it must be captured from the flue gas. Research here will emphasize the generation of novel unit operations for the efficient removal of CO2 and new high-capacity sorbent materials. Carbon forms the backbone for high energy density fuels. C=O bonds in CO2 therefore need to be converted back to high energy C-H and C-C bonds. Projects in this thrust range from the fundamental study and improvement of proven technologies, such as electrochemical reduction of CO2 to more ambitious projects, which rely on solar energy to promote conversion. However, the sheer scale of CO2 production is such that it is infeasible to completely convert the CO2 into chemicals or hydrocarbon fuels. Therefore, storage of CO2 is required to reduce the environmental impact of energy generation on a scale beyond anything that has ever been attempted. Research here focuses on sequestration of CO2 and in particular on the long-term stability of storage in geological formations in South CarolinaNON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Our nation's ability to meet our future energy needs in a sustainable manner will be critical to our ability to continue to prosper. Advancing the scientific knowledge and developing the intellectual workforce for a variety of sustainable energy technologies will be at the center of this endeavor. This REU site will train and expose our future scientific leaders to cutting-edge research in sustainable energy in general, and in nanoscience, catalysis and CO2 capture and storage in particular. Professional development efforts will provide the students with the non-technical knowledge and experience required to take discoveries out of the lab and place them into society. Participants will include rising juniors and seniors majoring in chemical engineering. Special emphasis will be placed on minorities as well as students who would otherwise not have an opportunity to do cutting-edge research.We acknowledge the support from the Division of Engineering Education and Centers.