Chemical Looping, Thermochemical Energy Storage, and Solar Fuels
This community develops solid materials and reactor systems that use chemical reactions to store heat, capture carbon dioxide, and produce hydrogen or syngas from sunlight and fossil fuels.
The work centers on "chemical looping" and "thermochemical energy" processes, specifically the use of "oxygen carriers" and "calcium looping" to separate carbon dioxide from flue gas or convert methane. Recurring methods include "fluidized bed" reactors and "solar thermochemical" cycles. Key applications named in the titles are "CO2 capture," "hydrogen production," "syngas production," and "heat storage." The research frequently involves "methane reforming," "dry reforming," and "water splitting." Materials studied include calcium-based sorbents, metal oxides, and porous structures designed for high-temperature stability and efficient heat transfer.
The largest share of the community's output is found in calcium research, accounting for 0.8% of all calcium research, and 2,657 papers here. Carbon research also represents a significant portion, with 0.4% of all carbon research and 3,206 papers. Hydrogen research contributes 0.4% of its total research volume, comprising 2,227 papers within this group.
The community comprises 10,166 papers, publishing most frequently in Fuel, the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, and the Chemical Engineering Journal.
Recent work continues to focus on integrated systems for CO2 capture and utilization, including the dry reforming of methane and the production of liquid fuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Newer studies also address the techno-economic assessment of biomass-to-liquid fuel production via chemical looping and the development of self-stabilizing sorbents for waste incineration.