Capturing carbon dioxide from air with charged-sorbents

Huaiguang Li, Mary E. Zick, Teedhat Trisukhon, Matteo Signorile, Xinyu Liu, Helen Eastmond, Shivani Sharma, Tristan L. Spreng, Jack Taylor, Jamie W. Gittins, Cavan Farrow, S. Alexandra Lim, Valentina Crocellà, Phillip J. Milner and Alexander C. Forse ()
Additional contact information
Huaiguang Li: University of Cambridge
Mary E. Zick: Cornell University
Teedhat Trisukhon: University of Cambridge
Matteo Signorile: University of Torino
Xinyu Liu: University of Cambridge
Helen Eastmond: University of Cambridge
Shivani Sharma: University of Cambridge
Tristan L. Spreng: University of Cambridge
Jack Taylor: University of Cambridge
Jamie W. Gittins: University of Cambridge
Cavan Farrow: University of Cambridge
S. Alexandra Lim: Cornell University
Valentina Crocellà: University of Torino
Phillip J. Milner: Cornell University
Alexander C. Forse: University of Cambridge

Nature, 2024, vol. 630, issue 8017, 654-659

Abstract: Abstract Emissions reduction and greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere are both necessary to achieve net-zero emissions and limit climate change1. There is thus a need for improved sorbents for the capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a process known as direct air capture. In particular, low-cost materials that can be regenerated at low temperatures would overcome the limitations of current technologies. In this work, we introduce a new class of designer sorbent materials known as ‘charged-sorbents’. These materials are prepared through a battery-like charging process that accumulates ions in the pores of low-cost activated carbons, with the inserted ions then serving as sites for carbon dioxide adsorption. We use our charging process to accumulate reactive hydroxide ions in the pores of a carbon electrode, and find that the resulting sorbent material can rapidly capture carbon dioxide from ambient air by means of (bi)carbonate formation. Unlike traditional bulk carbonates, charged-sorbent regeneration can be achieved at low temperatures (90–100 °C) and the sorbent’s conductive nature permits direct Joule heating regeneration2,3 using renewable electricity. Given their highly tailorable pore environments and low cost, we anticipate that charged-sorbents will find numerous potential applications in chemical separations, catalysis and beyond.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07449-2

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