Marina González Barriuso, researcher in Advanced Materials and Nanomaterials at CTC, is starting her PhD thesis titled “Graphene amino-functionalization, characterization and its applications as a capture system of CO2” under the supervision of Professor Carmen Blanco Delgado and Dr. Ángel Yedra .

The aim of this thesis is to synthesize a graphene derivate material that can capture carbon dioxide in a reversible and selective way, so that CO2 can be stored in it and released in the right place and moment for its conversion in other useful chemical products. Likewise, this reversible capture allows the reuse of the captured material itself.

The achievement of this goal will help greenhouse gas reduction, which is a huge global problem because of its effects in climate change. To stop global warming between 2.0 and 2.4ºC per year, CO2 global emissions have to be reduced about 50-80% from 2000 to 2050.

On the other hand, this research is expected to position and empower UC and CTC in the graphene field, particularly in its application in gas capture, and also to foster knowledge transfer to industry, which is showing interest in graphene properties and applications.

The thesis, that is starting this year, is supported and funded within the framework of the University of Cantabria Industrial PhD programme 2014.