The widespread deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technology faces many challenges, where high operating costs are one of the main barriers. While significant research is dedicated to more efficient CO2 sorption, a shortage exists in developing cost-effective desorption methods. The most applied CO2 desorption method is the temperature swing method (TSM), involving heating the entire reactor > 100 °C for extended periods, resulting in high energy consumption.
An alternative approach to reduce energy demand during desorption is utilising light, which, combined with photothermal (PT) nanoparticles, can be converted into heat. Contrary to TMS, the PT approach allows precise and localised gas desorption due to the material’s inherent properties. Since PT nanoparticles display narrow absorption peaks, to achieve maximum PT effect with the lowest given power, precise light sources with concentrated power are required. Still, the main challenge of the PT approach is to reach a temperature > 100 °C for complete CO2 desorption and long-lasting cyclability.
The HELICOSS project introduces a new concept called the Peak Absorption Targeted Photothermal Desorption. This method strategically uses low-energy narrowband light sources with wavelengths matching thermally stable PT-active monolithic sorbent’s peak absorption (λmax). This maximises the light-to-heat conversion efficiency, potentially achieving complete CO2 desorption with significantly reduced energy consumption compared to TMS. The project’s study goes beyond introducing an innovative approach and promises to expand the knowledge by investigating yet unexplored aspects of PT-assisted desorption. This includes exploring sorbent design for optimal conversion efficiency at materials’ λmax, sorbent stability, durability > 100 cycles, heat propagation, and the CO2 desorption mechanism under PT conditions. All of this significantly contributes to the advancement of new knowledge in this field.
