Novel Amino-Functionalized Ionic Liquid/Organic Solvent with Low Viscosity for CO₂ Capture

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Traditional CO2 capture methods often suffer from high energy consumption and viscosity.
• Developing efficient and cost-effective CO2 absorbents is crucial for mitigating climate change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel amino-functionalized ionic liquid, [TEPAH][2-MI], combined with organic solvents for enhanced CO2 capture.
• To evaluate the absorption capacity, regeneration efficiency, and viscosity of the proposed system.

Main Methods:

• Experimental absorption and regeneration studies.
• Viscosity measurements.
• 13C NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations for mechanism elucidation.

Main Results:

• The [TEPAH][2-MI]/N-propanol (NPA)/ethylene glycol (EG) system achieved high absorption loading (1.72 mol·mol-1).
• Regeneration efficiency remained high (90.7%) after five cycles.
• Solution viscosities were significantly lower than traditional nonaqueous absorbents.

Conclusions:

• The novel amino-functionalized ionic liquid offers a promising alternative for low-energy CO2 capture.
• The reaction mechanism involves carbamate and carbonate formation, with continuous tautomer interconversion.
• The system exhibits excellent performance and low viscosity, suitable for industrial applications.