Effects of CO2 on polymeric materials in the CO2 transport chain: A review

The implementation of carbon capture and storage requires suitable solutions at all levels of the CO2 value chain, including the CO2 transport. A large number of studies in this area are dedicated to the characterization of metallic materials for pipelines, whereas limited data are available on the polymer-based materials needed for various components of the transport chain (such as gaskets, sealants, tanks, vessels, tubes, pipes). The present document aims to review the most recent information available in the open literature describing the influence of high density (dense phase) CO2 on elastomers and engineering thermoplastics suitable for operations within the CO2 transport process. First the operative ranges for both ship and pipelines transport are identified, and the most important physical properties and involved phenomena are described. Subsequently, the effects of highly concentrated CO2 phases on selected polymer families are analyzed and, finally, the influence of impurities in the CO2 stream is summarized. This works highlights the presence of large gaps of knowledge base which leave open questions and challenges to be solved by the CCS community to ensure that the full-scale deployment becomes a reality.