TY - JOUR
T1 - Electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement using a calcium ion battery
AU - Iyapazham Vaigunda Suba, Prathap
AU - Gopalakrishnan, Arthi
AU - Radović, Jagoš R.
AU - Tutolo, Benjamin M.
AU - Larter, Stephen
AU - Karan, Kunal
AU - Thangadurai, Venkataraman
N1 - This research was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the University of Calgary- Eyes High Postdoc fund (for A.G), the Canada First Research Excellence Fund as well as the Scotiabank Climate fund. Priyanthi Weerawardhena assisted with the experimental work.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - The oceans play a major role in moderating atmospheric CO2 levels. Enhanced CO2 uptake into ocean waters can be achieved by the provision of appropriate cations to the surface ocean, an approach known as ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). Here, we present a calcium ion battery approach that enhances alkalinity via electrochemical manipulation of seawater calcium concentrations. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using a potassium barium iron cyanide [K2BaFe(CN)6] (PBFC) electrode, a Prussian blue analogue, to move calcium ions from one reservoir of seawater to another. Using material and electrochemical characterization of the Ca2+ ion insertion and expulsion properties of PBFC in synthetic seawater, we determine the repeatability of Ca2+ ion insertion and expulsion from the PBFC electrode. Our analyses prove a 2.75 % increase in seawater alkalinity via the PBFC electrode, which yields 2.64 mg CO2 (0.72 mg C) uptake per liter of seawater. This proof-of-concept method offers a unique, low-cost, energy efficient electrochemical approach for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal that can combine with marine-based renewable energy to enable a new family of effective, scalable climate change solutions.
AB - The oceans play a major role in moderating atmospheric CO2 levels. Enhanced CO2 uptake into ocean waters can be achieved by the provision of appropriate cations to the surface ocean, an approach known as ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). Here, we present a calcium ion battery approach that enhances alkalinity via electrochemical manipulation of seawater calcium concentrations. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using a potassium barium iron cyanide [K2BaFe(CN)6] (PBFC) electrode, a Prussian blue analogue, to move calcium ions from one reservoir of seawater to another. Using material and electrochemical characterization of the Ca2+ ion insertion and expulsion properties of PBFC in synthetic seawater, we determine the repeatability of Ca2+ ion insertion and expulsion from the PBFC electrode. Our analyses prove a 2.75 % increase in seawater alkalinity via the PBFC electrode, which yields 2.64 mg CO2 (0.72 mg C) uptake per liter of seawater. This proof-of-concept method offers a unique, low-cost, energy efficient electrochemical approach for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal that can combine with marine-based renewable energy to enable a new family of effective, scalable climate change solutions.
KW - Calcium ion battery electrode
KW - Carbon dioxide removal (CDR)
KW - CO capture & storage
KW - Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE)
KW - Seawater battery
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijggc.2023.104012
DO - 10.1016/j.ijggc.2023.104012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85177495561
SN - 1750-5836
VL - 130
JO - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
JF - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
M1 - 104012
ER -
