Cooperative carbon capture and steam regeneration with tetraamine-appended metal–organic frameworks

TLDR

Capturing CO₂ from natural‑gas combustion is more difficult than from coal because the CO₂ concentration is only one‑third as high and the flue gas contains high levels of oxygen and water, but a tetraamine‑functionalized magnesium metal–organic framework offers a two‑step cooperative adsorption that yields high capacity and enthalpy. The material can capture CO₂ from humid air and be regenerated with steam, a more economical alternative to temperature or pressure swing methods. Kim et al., Science, this issue p.

Abstract

Steaming out captured CO 2 Although natural gas is less carbon dioxide (CO 2 )–intensive than coal, capturing its emitted CO 2 can be more challenging because combined-cycle natural gas combustion has a CO 2 concentration that is only one-third of that of coal combustion and contains high concentrations of oxygen and water. Kim et al. report on a tetraamine-functionalized magnesium metal–organic framework that displays two-step cooperative CO 2 adsorption that leads to a high CO 2 capacity and adsorption enthalpy (see the Perspective by Peh and Zhao). This material could capture CO 2 from humid air and could be regenerated with steam, a method that is more economical than temperature or pressure swing methods. Science , this issue p. 392 ; see also p. 372