Catalysis for the valorization of exhaust carbon: from CO2 to chemicals, materials, and fuels. technological use of CO2.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is broadly recognised as having the potential to play a key role in meeting climate change targets, delivering low carbon heat and power, decarbonising industry and, more recently, its ability to facilitate the net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. However, despite this broad consensus and its technical maturity, CCS has not yet been deployed on a scale commensurate with the ambitions articulated a decade ago. Thus, in this paper we review the current state-of-the-art of CO2 capture, transport, utilisation and storage from a multi-scale perspective, moving from the global to molecular scales. In light of the COP21 commitments to limit warming to less than 2 °C, we extend the remit of this study to include the key negative emissions technologies (NETs) of bioenergy with CCS (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC). Cognisant of the non-technical barriers to deploying CCS, we reflect on recent experience from the UK's CCS commercialisation programme and consider the commercial and political barriers to the large-scale deployment of CCS. In all areas, we focus on identifying and clearly articulating the key research challenges that could usefully be addressed in the coming decade.

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Carbon capture and storage (CCS): the way forward

In recent years, Carbon Capture and Storage (Sequestration) (CCS) has been proposed as a potential method to allow the continued use of fossil-fuelled power stations whilst preventing emissions of CO2 from reaching the atmosphere. Gas, coal (and biomass)-fired power stations can respond to changes in demand more readily than many other sources of electricity production, hence the importance of retaining them as an option in the energy mix. Here, we review the leading CO2 capture technologies, available in the short and long term, and their technological maturity, before discussing CO2 transport and storage. Current pilot plants and demonstrations are highlighted, as is the importance of optimising the CCS system as a whole. Other topics briefly discussed include the viability of both the capture of CO2 from the air and CO2 reutilisation as climate change mitigation strategies. Finally, we discuss the economic and legal aspects of CCS.

Carbon capture and storage update

This review gives a survey on the latest most representative developments and progress concerning ionic liquids, from their fundamental properties to their applications in catalytic processes. It also highlights their emerging use for biomass treatment and transformation.

Ionic liquids and catalysis: Recent progress from knowledge to applications

Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions have become a central tool for the synthesis of biologically active compounds both in academia and industry. Most of these transformations make use of easily available substrates and allow for a shorter and more selective preparation of substituted arenes and heteroarenes compared to non-catalytic pathways. Notably, molecular-defined palladium catalysts offer high chemoselectivity and broad functional group tolerance. Considering these advantages, it is not surprising that several palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions have been implemented in the last decade into the industrial manufacture of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. In this review different examples from 2001-2008 are highlighted, which have been performed at least on a kilogram scale in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Recent Applications of Palladium-Catalyzed Coupling Reactions in the Pharmaceutical, Agrochemical, and Fine Chemical Industries

Solvatochromic parameters for solvents of interest in green chemistry

A solvent having switchable hydrophilicity

We report a new class of CO2 binding organic liquids that chemically capture and release CO2 much more efficiently than aqueous alkanolamine systems. Mixtures of organic alcohols and amidine/guanidine bases reversibly bind CO2 chemically as liquid amidinium/guanidinium alkylcarbonates. The free energy of CO2 binding in these organic systems is very small and dependent on the choice of base, approximately −9 kJ mol−1 for DBU and Barton's base and +2 kJ mol−1 for 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine. These CO2 capturing agents do not require an added solvent because they are liquid, and therefore have high CO2 capacities of up to 19% by weight for neat systems, and slightly less when dissolved in acetonitrile. The rate of CO2 uptake and release by these organic systems is limited by the rate of dissolution of CO2 into and out of the liquid phase. Gas absorption is selective for CO2 in both concentrated and dilute gas streams. These organic systems have been shown to bind and release CO2 for five cycles without losing activity or selectivity.

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Organic liquid CO2 capture agents with high gravimetric CO2 capacity

Liquids that consist of a mixture of an alcohol and either an amidine or a guanidine have been developed to switch from a low-polarity form to a high-polarity ionic liquid upon treatment with CO2 at atmospheric pressure. Treatment with N2 and/or mild heat (50−60 °C) reverses the process. These liquids can be used as switchable solvents to dissolve and then precipitate a solute or to dissolve reagents for a chemical synthesis and then precipitate the product.

Switchable Solvents Consisting of Amidine/Alcohol or Guanidine/Alcohol Mixtures

Known liquids that can reversibly switch their polarity at atmospheric pressure are all prepared as mixtures of two liquid components; we now report a series of switchable-polarity solvents that consist, in their low-polarity form, of only a single liquid component, a secondary amine. These solvents operate in a polarity range that is significantly lower than those of previously reported switchable solvents. Application to the separation and purification of a polymer and recovery of a catalyst is described.

Lam Phan

Papers

Solvatochromic parameters for solvents of interest in green chemistry

A solvent having switchable hydrophilicity

Organic liquid CO2 capture agents with high gravimetric CO2 capacity

Switchable Solvents Consisting of Amidine/Alcohol or Guanidine/Alcohol Mixtures

Switchable-polarity solvents prepared with a single liquid component.