Chris Lyons

Mentors T. Daniel P. Stack and Jennifer Wilcox

Project Title Solids for Carbon Dioxide Capture

Bio

I am from Fremont, CA and did my undergraduate studies at California State University, Chico, working with Professor Erik Wasinger on X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of non-innocent ligand complexes.  I am currently a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, working with Professor Dan Stack on the synthesis and surface functionalization of mesoporous solids for CO2 capture applications.  My primary research interest is the application of inorganic and materials chemistry to problems in renewable energy. 

Research Abstract
Fossil fuel combustion is the largest anthropogenic source of CO2 emissions globally, estimated at 30 gigatons generated per year, primarily associated with electricity generation from coal-fired power plants.   The growing concern surrounding the link between these emissions and climate change has resulted in extensive research toward CO2 sequestration technologies, as this is anticipated to be a primary component of the CO2 mitigation portfolio.  In collaboration with Professor Jennifer Wilcox in the Department of Energy Resources Engineering, we are developing strategies for the synthesis and covalent modification of mesoporous silica– and carbon–based materials to achieve highly stable, selective, and recyclable post-combustion CO2 sorbents.  Our research is highly interdisciplinary, spanning the fields of chemistry, materials science, chemical, and environmental engineering.