Light to enhance CO₂ capture by a flexible heterostructure

Based on photovoltaic effect and annealing,a flexible liquid-solid heterostructure of PANI and PyBIG based on carbon nano-tube (CNT) is prepared to drive the low temperature (343 K–363 K) CO₂ desorption intensified by the light. By the DFT and experiment, the reaction mechanism is determined as electron and hole produced by the light, deprotonization, electron and hole transport, and CO₂ release. The flexible characteristic of the heterostructure is identified as interface slip, transport channel change and stretching phenomenon in the nano-scale. The repelling effect between water molecule and oil molecule enhances the −COO-H bond breaking and -NH₂ production. The stretching phenomenon makes the electron and hole transport along the line rather than in a circle. The CO₂ desorption reaction energy is determined as low as 11.42 kJ/mol. The energy consumption of heterostructure to drive the CO₂ desorption at 343 K–363 K is determined as 0.89 GJ/t-1.12 GJ/t, which is much lower than the conventional 2.2 GJ/t-2.8 GJ/t.