GRAFECO2 project is going forward. New techniques and methods are being tested and developed in the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, where the project is taking place.

The CO2 adsortion experiment is placed in the laboratory of the DIOPMA group, as shown in the image above. Its main elements are a temperature controller on the front, and a gray metal tube surrounded by a brown resistor on the back.

The sample to be tested is housed in the tube. Firstly it is activated, that is, all its internal poruses are emptied and left free for the carbon dioxide to occupy them. Then carbon dioxide is blowed directly from the gas bottle through the sample, which becomes saturated after some time and cannot adsorb more CO2.

Later this saturated sample is characterized by thermogravimetry (TGA), which gives a rough CO2 uptake value.

Moreover there is some new testing going on, called BET, which is specially designed to study adsortion. It will provide more precise results, at a different temperatures and CO2 pressures.

In terms of sample synthesis, the goal is to make it as sustainable as possible by avoding conventional solvents such as DMF, which are very toxic. This is being accomplished with green chemistry methods like ball milling and synthesis routes using water and ethanol.

The results are promising.