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In 2021, closely around the national "double carbon" plan, taking ionic liquids as the core, the Ionic Liquid Center (ILC) founded three major technology groups: Low Carbon, Negative Carbon, and Zero Carbon to meet the major industry needs. A series of progress and achievements has been made as in the followings.
Focusing on ionic liquids, new understanding of Z bond interface regulation law were obtained. With the aid of multiscale simulations and advanced experimental characterizations, we established a new theory –the overlap factor of Z-bond– to clarify the ion competition growth mechanism within the quasi-liquid/solid interface on the 2D ion island. We found the law of highly selective gas capture induced by edge polarization, constructed the thermodynamic model for the interfacial regulation of confined IL, and obtained the directional ion transport and its mechanism for mass-transfer enhancement. As a result, new catalysts for CO2 capture and conversion were developed and thus opened up a new venue for green process innovation. The related research was published in Nat. Commun., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Adv. Mater., Chem. Sci., Energy Storage Mater., J. Mater. Chem. A, etc.
Fig.1 100,000t/a DMC/EG Industrial Plant (CAPCHEM)
Aiming at the technological frontier, promoting the transformation of green and low-carbon technologies. We have broken through key technical problems such as the development of highly active and stable IL catalysts, the design of large gas-liquid evenly distributed reactors, and the integration and optimization of reaction separation coupling. A 100,000 t/a DMC/EG industrial plant via EC from CO2 and EO was established in 2021 and realized stable operation at full load. The product quality reached the battery level standard, and a complete set of technical achievements with independent intellectual property rights were formed. Ammonium molybdate tail gas ammonia separation and recovery by IL with a capacity of 130 million Nm3/a was upgraded and operated stably, which broke through the problems of high-performance IL absorbent design and low mass transfer efficiency of IL. The main equipment of the MMA (methyl methacrylate) demonstration plant with a capacity of 10,000 ton/y was completed by using coal-based acetic acid as a raw material, greatly expanding the development space of MMA and downstream industries. The successful application of the above series of innovative technologies provides scientific and technological support for the low-carbon, high-end, and green development of chemical industry and manufacturing industry in our country.
Fig. 2 “Carbon Neutral major consultancy projects”Topic III
Closely following the national strategy, building a high-end academic exchange platform. We set up a "Carbon Neutrality Green Technology Joint Research and Development Center" with Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical Company. We undertook “Carbon Neutrality Major Consultation Project”, topic 3 “Irreplaceable Fossil Energy Prediction” of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Based on these works, we proposed plans to develop advanced low-carbon and forward-looking technologies and provide scientific basis and technical support for low-carbon green development of industrial process. Through the platform of the IL Special Committee of The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China (CIESC), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Green Technology (CEGT), and the International Green Technology Association (IGTA), we hosted diversified and intelligent conferences and exchange activities at home and abroad, such as the 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Ionic Liquids and Green Process (APCIL-7), Green Energy and Industrial Development Strategy Summit Forum, International Green Technology Training Courses, etc. These conferences and exchange activities would promote the publicity, construction, and development of green technology to achieve green, low-carbon, efficient and intelligent development in future.
Fig. 3 The 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Ionic Liquids and Green Process
