Carbon nanofibers, precious commodities from sunlight & CO2 to ameliorate global warming, and supplement: Carbon nanofibers (from fossil fuel) Electric Power Plants

TL;DR

This paper presents a scalable, electrolytic method for synthesizing carbon nanofibers directly from atmospheric CO2, utilizing solar thermal electrochemical processes to mitigate greenhouse gases and produce valuable nanomaterials.

Contribution

It introduces a high-yield, electrolytic synthesis technique for CNFs from CO2, compatible with solar energy, and demonstrates its application in power plant exhaust gas treatment.

Findings

Successful scaled-up electrolytic production of CNFs from CO2

Integration with solar thermal electrochemical process achieves high efficiency

Applicable to natural gas and coal power plant exhausts

Abstract

This study introduces the high yield, electrolytic synthesis of carbon nanofibers, CNFs, directly from carbon dioxide. Production of a precious commodity such as CNFs from atmospheric carbon dioxide provides impetus to limit this greenhouse gas and mitigate the rate of climate change. CNFs are formed at high rate using inexpensive nickel and steel electrodes in molten electrolytes. The process is demonstrated as a scaled-up stand-alone electrolytic cell, and is also shown compatible with the STEP, solar thermal electrochemical process, using concentrated sunlight at high solar to electric efficiency to provide the heat and electrical energy to drive the CNF production. In the supplement section modes of both natural gas and coal power plant operation are presented which remove the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the exhaust and transform it into a carbon nanofiber product.