Aryana p's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: Fabricating Fresher Futures: Exploring New Methods of Carbon Capture and Filtration BASIS Advisor: Dr. Lydia Felice Internship Location: ASU Center for Negative Carbon Emissions Onsite Mentor: Ms. Taysa Telenar

Project Abstract

With the current onset of forest fires in California, it is evident that solutions to slowing the rate of climate change needs to be addressed. Although well-known clean energy sources such as solar power, wind power, and geothermal power can benefit the environment, they are place, time, and weather dependent. Carbon capture can provide an alternative solution or supplement to clean energy efforts, by filtering carbon dioxide from the air that is polluted by fossil fuel usage. This study will investigate a new method of membrane fabrication for DAC, with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of carbon filtration. Specifically, this study will focus on the spin coating of quaternary ammonium(QAM) onto polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) membranes. QAMs membranes are shown to have higher rates of efficiency, but are prone to tears, phase separation, and inconsistent membranes. Creating a layer of QAMs on top of the standard PDMS membrane can allow for both increased strength and efficiency. After the PDMS membrane is created by combining PDMS with chloroform, the base membrane is formed. Membranes are then coated evenly with QAMs solution under a spin coater with 60 drops of solution while rotating at approximately 5000 rpm. After the membrane undergoes an ion exchange in acetone, it is tested for its efficiency. Efficiency is tested by filtering a carbon dioxide and nitrogen mixture in both humid and dry conditions to simulate outside conditions, to ensure the spin coated membranes have the potential to create a future with less net carbon dioxide emissions.