Project Grant 2324346

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) awarded a $259,494 Project Grant to the University of Connecticut (UConn). The grant supports collaborative research to develop an innovative system for directly capturing CO2 from air and electrochemically converting it into value-added liquid fuels. This work involves engineering a novel polymer-nanocatalyst membrane that utilizes natural cellulose and a cobalt nanosheet catalyst to facilitate efficient CO2 capture and conversion. The goal is to create an integrated, energy-efficient approach to direct air capture and utilization of CO2 without the need for an additional energy-intensive step to produce pure CO2 feedstock. This research aims to generate new fundamental knowledge on CO2 capture and reduction, as well as demonstrate an engineering prototype system, with the broader impact of providing a sustainable solution to manage greenhouse gas emissions. The project will be conducted by UConn in collaboration with Brown University, with the portion at Brown supported through NSF's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).