SIRs Research 2017-2018

Niles North High School

Link To Paper: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rMgDFTJXoo1cQrNy75MsPtNUoxzNQqqF

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to examine different doubly doped ceria membranes, known to be stable in carbon atmospheres and have high oxygen storage capacity, to determine the best membrane to extract oxygen from carbon dioxide and to separate oxygen from air. The doping process creates oxygen vacancies in the crystal lattice which allows carbon dioxide and methane passing through the membrane to split and the product is oxygen and carbon monoxide. We use a redox reaction to test for the following: (1) moles of oxygen prior to the redox reaction, (2) moles of oxygen after methane reduction, (3) moles of oxygen after carbon dioxide oxidation, (4) moles of oxygen after recalcination, (5) conductivity at high temperatures.

Procedure: To do this, we will perform hydrothermal processing, precipitation, filtration, and drying, and calcination to create four different doubly doped ceria membranes with one of the following second dopants: iron, copper, yttrium, manganese; will undergo a chemical looping combustion as carbon dioxide and methane will pass through the membrane in a closed system.

Conclusion: The hypothesis stated that the best membrane 1) to extract oxygen from carbon dioxide will have the highest percent of original oxygen recovered after carbon dioxide oxidation and 2) to separate oxygen from air will have the highest percent of original oxygen recovered after recalcination. Results show copper as the best second dopant to to extract oxygen from carbon dioxide as it recovered 29.3% of the original oxygen. Results also showed iron as the best second dopant to separate oxygen from air as it gained 1.22% of the original oxygen. In addition, iron had the highest conductivity at high temperatures which is an indirect measurement of ionic transport property.