Molten Carbonate Transformation of the Green House Gas CO2 to Graphitic Nanomaterials
Authors: Licht Stuart 
Published: February 2024

CO2 is a highly stable molecule. This stability had been considered an insurmountable barrier to Its transformative removal from its role as a greenhouse case. The C2CNT® (CO2 To Carbon Nanomaterial Technology) process breaks through this barrier by using an energetic (high temperature), carbon rich (molten carbonate), transition metal nucleated environment, electrolytically splitting of CO2 to graphitic carbon nanomaterials (and O2). Built from the same fundamental graphene structure as graphite, which has a geologic lifetime, these nanocarbons can permanently bind the transformed CO2 to mitigate global warming. Their value arises from the properties of graphene such as high strength and conductivity, solid lubrication, electronic and catalytic activity tuned by distinctive 0D, 1D and 2D morphologies.

The value of these nano graphitic carbons arises from the unique properties of graphene such as exceptional strength, high conductivity, solid lubrication, electronic and catalytic activity as modified by their distinctive 0D, 1D and 2D shapes. These nanocarbons are useful in a range of applications in the carbon fiber, polymer, electronic, medical, transportation, steel, cement and power sectors.

The C2CNT® technology received the 2021 Carbon XPRIZE XFactor award for producing the most valuable product from CO2. and builds out the C2CNT technology into a Genesis Device® CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage) plant. A Genesis Device® CCUS demonstration plant has been built at the in Calgary, and a large-scale Genesis Device® CCUS plant, the GC3 project, is scheduled in Edmonton, producing 7,500 tonnes of carbon nanotubes transforming the CO2 emission at the Genessee power plant.

Some of the 30 C2CNT® related publications are presented at: https://carboncorp.org/climate-change-solution

These publications include:

“STEP generation of energetic molecules: A solar chemical process to end anthropogenic global warming” Licht,
J. Phys. Chem, C,
113, 16283, 2009.

"Efficient Solar-Driven Synthesis, Carbon Capture, and Desalinization, STEP: Solar Thermal Electrochemical Production of Fuels, Metals, Bleach" Licht, Advanced Materials,47, 5592 (2011).

The discovery of the electrochemical nucleated growth of graphitic nanocarbons in:

"One-pot synthesis of carbon nanofibers from CO2",

Ren, Li, Lau, Urbina, LichtNano Letters, 15, 6142, 2015.

CO2 isotopic tracking to the electrolytic splitting products: “Tracking airborne CO2 mitigation and low cost transformation into valuable carbon nanotubes,” Ren, Licht,Scientific Reports,6, 27760-1, 2016.

"Carbon Nanotube Wools Made Directly from CO2 By Molten Electrolysis: Value Driven Pathways to Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Gas Mitigation," Materials Today Energy, Johnson, Ren, Lefler, Licht, Vicini, Liu, Licht, 5, 230,2017.

“Recent Advances in Solar Thermal Electrochemical Process (STEP) for Carbon Neutral Products & High Value Nanocarbons,” Ren, Yu, Peng, Lefler, Li, Licht, Accounts of Chemical Research,

52, 3177(2019).

“Amplified CO2 greenhouse gas removal with C2CNT carbon nanotube-material composites”,

Licht, Xinye, Licht, Wang, Swesi, Chan, Materials Today Sustainability, 6, 100023(2019).

Wang, Sharif, Liu, Licht, Lefler, Licht,

“Magnetic carbon nanotubes: Carbide nucleated electrochemical growth of ferromagnetic

CNTs from CO2,” Wang, Sharif, Liu, Licht, Lefler, Licht, Journal of CO2 Utilization, 40, 101282020.

“The green synthesis of exceptional braided, helical carbon nanotubes and nanospiral platelets made directly from CO2,” Liu, Licht, Licht,
Materials Today Chemistry

,
22, 100529 (2021).

Figure top: SEM of nanocarbon allotropes. Top row (from left to right): conical CNF, nano-bamboo, nano-pearl, Ni coated CNT, nano-flower, nano-dragon. Middle row: nano-rod, nano-belt, nano-onion, hollow nano-onion, and nano-tree. Bottom row carbon nanotube, nano-scaffold, nano-platelet, graphene, nano-helices. From: Control of the electrochemical conditions tuning C2CNT® to selectively produce 17 unusual nanocarbons is described in: “Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO2”, Liu, Licht, Wang, Licht, Catalysts, 12, 125, 2022:

Figure Bottom: TEM and HAADF of high purity, high yield carbon nanotubes synthesized by electrolytic splitting of CO2 in 770°C Li2CO3. TEM; scale bars left to right top: 20 nm & 1 nm. 2nd row 100, 5, 5 & 1 nm. 3rd row 100 or 50 nm. Bottom row 20, 1 & 1 nm. From “Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO2”, Liu, Licht, Wang, Licht, Catalysts, 12, 137, 2022:

Figure 1