A New Route for Indirect Mineralization of Carbon Dioxide\u2013Sodium Oxalate as a Detergent Builder

Chen Li,Hong Xu,Lijie Wang,Min Yuan,Jinxiang Dong

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-49127-8

Abstract

Here, we bridge the gap between carbon mineralization and laundry detergent builder with sodium oxalate. Daily laundry can help mineralize carbon dioxide. First, we screen an environment-friendly process to produce sodium oxalate, using CO2 as a raw material. Then, we evaluate the properties of sodium oxalate as a detergent builder and prove the formation of calcium oxalate under laundry conditions. Our data suggest that sodium oxalate has excellent calcium-removing properties. Detergents based on sodium oxalate have good detergency. Furthermore, solid calcium oxalates (calcium oxalate monohydrate or calcium oxalate dihydrate, which has good stability in water and thermal stability), is obtained from washing waters. These results demonstrate the possibility of using sodium oxalate as detergent builder. The whole process can transform the greenhouse gas CO2 into commodity chemicals and can mineralize carbon.

Highlights

According to the previous publication, we screen an oxalate manufacturing method using CO2 as a feedstock14
The solids collected from different experiments were extensively studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetry (TG) to ensure the formation of calcium oxalates and its stability
Our results show that sodium oxalate has excellent builder properties, high detergency, and that calcium oxalate obtained after washing is stable and can meet the needs of carbon mineralization storage

Summary

Introduction

According to the previous publication, we screen an oxalate manufacturing method using CO2 as a feedstock. There is no report about the industrial application of oxalate as a laundry detergent builder so far. Oxalate can combine with hardness ions and form insoluble oxalate salts such as whewellite (CaC2O4·H2O), weddellite (CaC2O4·2H2O). These oxalate salts have low solubility, can endure physical or chemical degradation, and are stable for long periods[25,26,27]. Sodium oxalate binds with hardness ions in water and transforms into calcium oxalate through the laundry process of thousands of households. Our results show that sodium oxalate has excellent builder properties, high detergency, and that calcium oxalate obtained after washing is stable and can meet the needs of carbon mineralization storage

Methods

Results

Conclusion