New carbon capture method offers 99% efficiency

Tokyo Metropolitan University researchers have developed a new carbon capture technology known as direct air capture (DAC). It is stated that the new method, which aims to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air, is 99% efficient.

Faster than existing systems

Although many attempts are being made to reduce carbon emissions, the carbon dioxide that has been released into the atmosphere so far must also be captured. A new method developed in this context offers a new approach to compensate for the negative aspects of existing systems.

The DAC system works on two basic approaches. The first is based on the use of solid absorbent filters that react with carbon dioxide and bind them to them, while the other is based on the passage of air through liquid systems, where a chemical reaction occurs between a liquid solution and carbon dioxide.

The team is focusing on the second of these approaches. Working on a liquid-solid phase separation system to capture carbon, the team studied a range of liquid amine compounds and discovered that a compound called isophorone diamine (IPDA) was particularly effective at capturing carbon dioxide.

Tests conducted during the research showed that IPDA can capture more than 99% of CO2 in the air with a concentration of 400 ppm. This captured carbon can turn into a solid precipitate of carbamic acid, and only heating to 60 degrees Celsius is needed to fully release the captured carbon dioxide and restore the original liquid for reuse.

The researchers claim that all these processes taking place are twice as fast as current DAC systems.

Annually While approximately 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, current carbon capture technologies are insufficient to clean the carbon dioxide in the air. This study seems to prevent one of the biggest problems in DAC systems, which is not being efficient enough. As a next step, the team will focus on translating these lab advances into large-scale usability.