Synthesis of Highly-Carboxylated NanoPorous Carbons from Petroleum Waste by Kolbe-Schmitt Reaction for CO2 utilization

The proposed research will focus on developing CO2 utilization technology using porous carbons from asphalt to generate highly-carboxylated porous carbons by Kolbe-Schmitt reaction as a high-value product that are best suited economically for CO2 sequestration. We plan to accomplish this by in situ preparation of porous low density carbon materials from industrial waste, which serve as a substrate for Kolbe-Schmitt reaction and a support for CO2 utilization and mineralization in pores and use final highly-carboxylated porous carbons HO2C-PC and carbonate enriched porous carbons, MCO3-PC, as a high values highly acidic solid catalysts and adsorbents of toxic organic pollutants, as well as a composite for a potential development of concretes with properties adopted from porous carbons such as high mechanical strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, magnetic properties and hydrophobicity.