Evaluating 4-Stage Aqueous Electrochemical CO 2 Separation with Dissolved Quinone Derivatives

作者：Aida Farsi, Nils Heim, Isabella Caruso, Fikile R. Brushett · 发表于：ECS Meeting Abstracts · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1149/ma2026-01572775mtgabs · 研究领域：Chemistry、Inorganic chemistry、Chemical engineering

State-of-the-art carbon capture primarily relies on amine-based thermal-swing systems, in which temperature controls carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) binding to and release from amines. However, these systems face challenges such as Carnot efficiency limits, substantial energy demand for solvent regeneration, 1 and progressive amine degradation over time and cycling. 2 These constraints motivate exploration of alternative approaches. Electrochemical CO 2 separation may enable higher energetic efficiencies because faradaic reactions can selectively activate only the capture species, driving CO 2 absorption or desorption. 3 In particular, aqueous CO 2 -capture media—where proton-coupled electron-transfer reactions generate a pH gradient across an electrochemical cell—enable capture in alkaline conditions and release in acidic conditions, providing environmental, safety, and cost advantages as compared to non-aqueous electrolytes. 4,5 In this presentation, we investigate the separation capability and stability of different water-soluble quinone derivatives in a 4-stage system designed for continuousCO 2 capture and release. The 4-stage system utilizes an absorber and flash tank to separate CO 2 capture and release from the cathodic activation and anodic deactivation of the capture species in the electrolytic cell. We experimentally assess the durational performance of 4-stage system as a function of inlet gas composition (including oxygen), electrolyte formulation, volumetric flow rate, a...