Despite the emergence of various technologies for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air in recent years, their widespread use has been limited due to high costs and energy requirements. The “Journal of Environmental and Scientific Energy” has revealed a more cost-effective and energy-efficient method for capturing carbon dioxide using extremely cold air “close to absolute zero – 273.15 Celsius” and abundantly available porous absorbent materials. This opens the door for wider application of direct air capture of carbon dioxide in the future.
This is achieved using materials known as “physical adsorbents,” which are porous solids that absorb gases. They feature a longer lifespan and faster carbon dioxide absorption but often face challenges in warm and humid conditions. Molecular simulations were used to demonstrate that the method allows for the use of a wide range of physical adsorbent materials, with “13X Zeolite” and “CALF-20” standing out as promising candidates with high carbon dioxide capture capacity.
Both absorbent materials possess essential characteristics, such as cost-effectiveness, scalability, and long-term stability, all of which are crucial for practical applications. The study estimates the leveled cost of direct carbon capture to be about half the cost of modern systems based on amine absorbent materials.
