Synthetic Catalysts that Separate CO2 from the Atmosphere and Gas Mixtures

• US 20110151537A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Lightstone, Felice C., Lau, Edmond Y., Wong, Sergio E., Satcher, Joe H. JR., Aines, Roger D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,962,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/188
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/60 Additives
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20746 Cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20761 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20792 Zinc
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/06 Polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/86 Catalytic processes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/0073 with NADH or NADPH as one donor, and incorporation of one atom of oxygen 1.14.13
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/20 of methane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification

Abstract

The creation of a catalyst that can be used for a wide variety of applications including the steps of developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst, using the preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst, and using the template of the catalyst to produce the catalyst.

Claims

1. A method of producing a catalyst, comprising the steps of:

developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst,

using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst, and

using said template of the catalyst to produce the catalyst.

2. The method of producing a catalyst of claim 1 wherein said step of developing preliminary information includes developing preliminary information regarding a molecule having potential energy surfaces around a metal center.

3. The method of producing a catalyst of claim 2 wherein said step of using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst includes generating a selection of linking atoms to compose a scaffold on said metal center.

4. The method of producing a catalyst of claim 3 wherein said metal center is a zinc metal center.

5. The method of producing a catalyst of claim 3 wherein said metal center is a copper metal center.

6. The method of producing a catalyst claim 1 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst includes using molecule mimics to develop preliminary information regarding the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture.

7. A method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture, comprising the steps of:

developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture,

using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture, and

using said template of the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture to produce the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture.

8. The method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture of claim 7 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture includes developing preliminary information regarding a molecule having potential energy surfaces around a metal center that will optimize reaction with carbon dioxide.

9. The method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture of claim 8 wherein said step of using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture includes generating a selection of linking atoms to compose a scaffold on said metal center that will optimize reaction with carbon dioxide.

10. The method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture of claim 9 wherein said metal center is a zinc metal center.

11. The method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture of claim 9 wherein said metal center is a copper metal center.

12. The method of producing a catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture of claim 7 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture includes using molecule mimics to develop preliminary information regarding the catalyst for harvesting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture.

13. A method of producing a catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol, comprising the steps of:

developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol,

using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol, and

using said template of the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol to produce the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol.

14. The method of producing a catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol of claim 13 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol includes developing preliminary information regarding a molecule having potential energy surfaces around a metal center that will optimize reactions.

15. The method of producing a catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol of claim 14 wherein said step of using said preliminary information to produce a template of the catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol includes generating a selection of linking atoms to compose a scaffold on said metal center that will optimize reactions.

16. The method of producing a catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol of claim 15 wherein said metal center is a zinc metal center.

17. The method of producing a catalyst for conversion of methane to methanol of claim 15 wherein said metal center is a copper metal center.

18. A method of producing an oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing, comprising the steps of:

developing preliminary information regarding the oxygen evolving catalyst,

using said preliminary information to produce a template of the oxygen evolving catalyst, and

using said template of the oxygen evolving to produce the oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing.

19. The method of producing an oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing of claim 18 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the oxygen evolving catalyst includes developing preliminary information regarding a molecule having potential energy surfaces around a metal center that will optimize reactions.

20. The method of producing an oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing of claim 19 wherein said step of using said preliminary information to produce a template of the oxygen evolving catalyst includes generating a selection of linking atoms to compose a scaffold on said metal center that will optimize reactions.

21. The method of producing an oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing of claim 20 wherein said metal center is a zinc metal center.

22. The method of producing an oxygen evolving catalyst for water oxidizing 1 of claim 20 wherein said metal center is a copper metal center.

23. A method of producing a nitrogen fixation catalyst for nitrogen fixation, comprising the steps of:

developing preliminary information regarding the nitrogen fixation catalyst,

using said preliminary information to produce a template of the nitrogen fixation catalyst, and

Using said template of the nitrogen fixation catalyst to produce the nitrogen fixation catalyst for water oxidizing.

24. The method of producing a nitrogen fixation catalyst for nitrogen fixation of claim 23 wherein said step of developing preliminary information regarding the nitrogen fixation catalyst includes developing preliminary information regarding a molecule having potential energy surfaces around a metal center that will optimize reactions.

25. The method of producing an nitrogen fixation catalyst for nitrogen fixation of claim 24 wherein said step of using said preliminary information to produce a template of the nitrogen fixation catalyst includes generating a selection of linking atoms to compose a scaffold on said metal center that will optimize reactions.

26. The method of producing an nitrogen fixation catalyst for nitrogen fixation of claim 24 wherein said metal center is a zinc metal center.