Saline Water-based Mineralization Pathway for Gigatonne-scale CO2 Management

Unlike conventional sorbent- or solvent-based CO2 capture processes where substantial energy expenditures are associated with demixing and desorbing CO2, the single-step carbon sequestration and storage (sCS2) approach relies on electrolytic carbonate mineral precipitation using renewable energy within a simple and scalable process design.

Gaurav Sant (UCLA)

A pathway is proposed to diminish atmospheric CO2 accumulations which is distinct from traditional carbon capture and geological sequestration strategies and from existing negative emissions technologies. Unlike conventional sorbent- or solvent-based CO2 capture processes where substantial energy expenditures are associated with demixing and desorbing CO2, the single-step carbon sequestration and storage (sCS2) approach relies on electrolytic carbonate mineral precipitation using renewable energy within a simple and scalable process design. Although numerous approaches have implied electrolysis for carbon management, the sCS2 approach is unique in the following ways: (1) CO2 mineralization for promoting solid carbonate formation. (2) Flow-through membrane-less electrolysis. (3) Integrated electrolytic reactor–rotary drum filter. These attributes render sCS2 as an approach worthy of more detailed evaluation, development, and scaling for global-scale carbon management.

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)