2025 Internship Project Overview

Due to the continued rise of anthropogenic CO2 levels, carbon capture technologies (e.g., solid adsorbents) have been recognized as a necessary tool in mitigating the climate crisis. Regeneration of carbonated solid sorbents is an indispensable step in the carbon capture process. Typically, solid adsorbents are thermally regenerated, and the cost associated is an economic barrier. This work suggests that non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) can be used to regenerate carbonated materials to be reused for carbon capture. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), or calcite, is a cheap, fully carbonated material that can be used to demonstrate a proof-of-concept. While plasma treatment of CaCO3 did not yield any bulk changes via powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) or thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated surface-level changes do occur with plasma treatments. Further investigation is required to deconvolute the peak shifts observed in XPS. Additionally, results indicate Ca-based layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are better suited for plasma regeneration than calcite.

ORGANIZATION/RESEARCH GROUP

Sustainable Cements Group, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University

LOCATION

Princeton, New Jersey

 

Interns

Carson Repins ’27
Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Minor(s): Materials Science and Engineering
"I gained extensive experience with material characterization technologies and am now comfortable using a wide range of equipment. This internship motivated me to investigate a project related to materials science for my senior thesis and I hope to pursue further education in a materials-related field."

 

Claire White
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment

Mentors

  • Matthew Pekarcik, Ph.D. Candidate, Chemical and Biological Engineering