Reducing carbon footprint by electrochemical CO₂ processing and direct air capture
About the project
As we all know, the concentration of CO₂ is on the rise, and we need to start reducing the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere fast. Most of the current methods of doing this are expensive, and the absorbing compounds lose their activity reasonably quickly. So what could we do to clean the atmosphere?
RedoxNRG, a Narva-based startup, has developed a system that runs by renewable energy to capture and convert the CO₂. Unlike most current CO₂ capture mechanisms, our device is based on an electrochemical adsorption battery. It uses redox-active molecules to capture the CO₂ and then releases it when necessary by changing the potential in the battery. Our process’s efficiency does not depend on the concentration of carbon dioxide to be used even in atmospheric conditions of 400 ppm of CO₂. When the battery is discharged, pure CO₂ is released, then electrochemically converted to valuable fuel.
In the second phase, captured CO₂ is subsequently converted into formic acid. We’ll do this by using our own patented bismuth-based catalyst materials. Formic acid is a remarkable compound. It can be made relatively easily from CO₂ with our method. It is stable, so storing it will be effortless, unlike in current technologies where the CO₂ is stored as a gas and is prone to leaking. Formic acid has many uses; around 800 000 tons are produced annually for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and clothing industries. It is also used in agriculture. Formic acid has a bright future since it can be used in a formic acid fuel cell to power all kinds of devices, from small clocks to cars and buildings. Also, formic acid can be used as hydrogen storage.
Our goal is to get our prototype up and run in September 2021.
If you are interested in our technology, then contact us at info@redoxnrg.com
RedoxNRG technology:
- RedoxNRG technology allows to capture carbon dioxide and transform it into valuable fuel efficiently
- RedoxNRG technology is energy- and cost-efficient
- Our device is easily scalable, can be made portable or brought up to industrial scale
- Our system operates under ambient conditions (average temperature and pressure)
- We employ patented electrocatalyst materials developed in our laboratory (WO2020035607A1)
- We develop electrochemical CO₂ processing technology locally to deal with a global issue
CO₂ capture and utilization in spacecrafts and possible colonies on other planets
With every year, space travel becomes less like science fiction and more like reality. But for us to reach that reality, many issues need to be solved. One of these issues is the management of CO₂ onboard spacecraft and in possible colonies. Right now, most spacecraft use LiOH to capture the CO₂. But for long flights, a lot of LiOH needs to be brought along, which is much unnecessary weight.
The RedoxNRG system could be used to solve this problem. The capture and conversion cell could be integrated into the spacecraft to capture the CO₂ produced by the crew members. Unlike the current system, no additional chemicals need to be brought along. Also, instead of just releasing the CO₂ into space, it will be used to make formic acid, which could be used to produce power. So the CO₂ could be used to provide additional energy next to the solar panels.
Our goal is to advance space travel possibilities by helping reduce the weight of the spacecraft and providing some additional power-making options.
