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TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY High Efficiency Solid Oxide System for CO2 Capture and Concentration An innovative approach for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 based on a solid oxide membrane reactor... TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY High Efficiency Solid Oxide System for CO2 Capture and Concentration An innovative approach for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 based on a solid oxide membrane reactor system. Opportunity: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), is offering the opportunity to enter into a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize this solid oxide system for CO2 capture and concentration. This technology transfer opportunity is part of a dedicated effort to convert government-funded research into job opportunities, businesses and ultimately an improved way of life for the American people. Overview: The rising levels of greenhouse gasses, mainly CO2, in the atmosphere has had a severe impact on our climate. While significant progress has been made in CO2 capture from concentrated point sources, such as coal fired power plants or ethanol fermenters, there is limited success to capture CO2 from distributed stationary or mobilesources. The latter is particularly important when considering roughly half of annual CO2 emissions are generated fromtransportation sources, which are impossible to neutralize by conventional CO2 capture technologies. The direct capture of CO2 from the atmosphere is widely viewed as a technology necessary to mitigate human caused climate change*. Most direct air capture (DAC) processes use solid sorbents or aqueous solutions as the capture media, which usually requires high energy input, leading to high operating costs. Description: Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have developed an innovative approach for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 based on a solid oxide membrane reactor system. Within the membrane reactor, CO2 is captured from air by adsorption onto the cathode where it is transformed into carbonate. The carbonate ions then dissolve into and migrate through the composite membrane to the anode where they are decomposed to release pure, concentrated CO2. The reactor system functions as an electrochemical CO2 pump driven by an externally applied electrochemical potential. This new DAC system offers an alternative technology for in-situ CO2 capture and concentration in a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and highly selective manner. Benefits: High carbonate and oxygen ion conductivity enabling fast CO2 separation. Low net energy input due to spontaneous electrochemical reaction with electricity generation. Low operational cost (solid state system with no moving parts). Exclusive selectivity for CO2 capture from ambient air and pure CO2 stream produced at the anode side for downstream applications. No use of adsorbents which require regeneration. Applications: Direct Air Capture of CO2 Chemical manufacturing by: Production of carbon-neutral synthetic fuel and plastics Food/beverage carbonation Agriculture such as enhancing productivity of algae farms. CO2 Capture from concentrated point sources like coal-fired power plants. Development Status: TRL 3. Critical function experimentation and proof-of-concept. IP Status: Provisional Patent Filing No. 63/201,967, “Direct Air Capture Reactor Systems and Related Methods of Transporting Carbon Dioxide,” BEA Docket No. BA-1217. Additional Information: * Breyer, C., Fasihi, M., Bajamundi, C., & Creutzig, F. (2019). Direct Air Capture of CO2: A Key Technology for Ambitious Climate Change Mitigation. ScienceDirect, 3(9), 2053-2057. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.08.010 INL is seeking to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Added value is placed on relationships with small businesses, start-up companies, and general entrepreneurship opportunities. Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.