The co-research project under the SPIRIT programme called ”Direct and reversible CO2 capture from air using superbases” has reached its conclusion, yielding promising results in the quest for advancing innovative CO2 capture technologies for industries. Professor Timo Repo from the University of Helsinki, Mikko Rönkä from Borealis and other project participants share their insights on the outcomes.
How to effectively capture carbon using superbases
Initiated about two and a half years ago, the CO2 superbases project explored the capability of superbases to effectively capture CO2 from air and dilute emissions. The primary objective was to use superbases repeatedly and validate their efficacy in carbon capture and controlled release, while gaining a deeper understanding of the reaction mechanisms involved. Professor Timo Repo from the University of Helsinki explains that the research identified several superbases that demonstrated remarkable potential, leading to the development of a system that operates efficiently. The findings reveal that the studied superbases can be linked to carriers, facilitating the capture of CO2 directly from air and diluted flue gases. The resulting solutions are reversible and of world-class quality, indicating a successful achievement of the project’s initial goals – to validate the hypothesis of this novel concept.
One of the key features of this research is the low operating temperature for the carbon capture process, around 60°C. Professor Ville Alopaeus from Aalto University adds: “The solvents studied can be regenerated at remarkably low temperatures, typical of waste heat from many industrial processes. This is promising news for heat integration and energy savings.” The hypothesis that CO2 can be captured from diluted gas mixtures, with concentrations below 15%, has been confirmed. This process involving superbases offers significant advantages due to its low energy threshold, which is evident in the reaction mechanism explored during the project. The DFT modelling (theoretical, density functional theory calculations) has enhanced the understanding of the scientific phenomenon behind CO2 capture, providing insights into necessary future actions.
Potential for further research
The results of this basic co-research project give promise for next steps. Mikko Rönkä from Borealis emphasises the need for further improving energy efficiency and developing a technical solution to compete with current state-of-the-art amine based solutions.
The next phase of research could further investigate the ideal superbase carrier combination and propose methods to elevate the technology to a higher TRL (Technology Readiness Level). This project has laid the groundwork for process simulation models and reaction mechanisms, essential for understanding operations and potential scale up.
The collaboration involved several institutions. The University of Helsinki focused on basic research, understanding mechanisms and system development, Aalto University contributed through measuring phase equilibria and physical properties as well as through process modelling, and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland worked on attaching superbases to carriers and capturing CO2 from air. Industrial partners such as Borealis, Wärtsilä, Neste and Liuotin Oy played important roles as well.
There are numerous aspects identified for potential future exploration which are aiming to enhance the TRL level and outline follow-up projects. Mikko Rönkä highlights the industrial desire to work with higher TRL technologies and the need for more cost-effective and efficient carbon capture solutions. The industry seeks to develop alternative technologies and reduce existing emissions while potentially using CO2 as a future raw material for the chemical industry.
The project provided a solid foundation for advancing this area of research. Future efforts could focus on scaling up the technology from laboratory settings towards industrial applications, with an emphasis on the techno-economic feasibility. The availability of such amines and their large-scale production could drive costs down, with companies such as Liuotin Oy possessing the required expertise.
In closing, Mikko Rönkä reflects positively on the motivated team of researchers involved, noting the project’s well-managed structure and diverse group dynamics. The ”Direct and reversible CO2 capture from air using superbases” project has successfully achieved its initial targets and has set the stage for further development and innovation in carbon capture technologies.
Project in a nutshell:
- Research teams (leader): University of Helsinki (Timo Repo), Aalto University (Ville Alopaeus), VTT (Jere Elfving)
- Industrial collaborators: Borealis, Neste, Liuotin Oy, Valmet, Vantaan Energia, Wärtsilä
- Time span: 4/2023 – 3/2025