CO₂-removal News

Peer-reviewed Publications

Fan et al. (2024): Charged sorbents for efficient CO2 removal

Xinyi Fan, Xin Sun, Alex W. Robertson, Zhenyu Sun IN: The Innovation Materials, https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-mater.2024.100088

Of further merit is the favourable electrical and thermal conductivities of the adsorbent, which are sufficiently high such that Joule heating desorption can be carried out directly, offering the opportunity to employ renewable energy sources to drive the desorption. This significantly improves the techno-economic argument and credibility for this as a viable DAC technology. The relatively low costs of the constituent material and electrolyte also point to the potential readiness for commercialization. Beyond its use in DAC, the authors’ demonstration of readily tuneable charged-sorbent materials, where the electrolyte and electrode can be rationally selected and designed, should lead to a family of new materials with applications in various energy-efficient gas separation technologies and energy conversion processes.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Grimm et al. (2024): How Would Ideal Sorbents Improve the Technical and Economic Performance of Adsorption-Based Direct Air Capture?

Alexa Grimm, Gert Jan Kramer, Matteo Gazzani IN: Energy & Fuels, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c01156

This study evaluates DAC performance when replacing existing sorbents with theoretical ones designed to optimize the process. In order to do so, the adsorption isotherm parameters of CO2 for different isotherm models were optimized along with process design variables to minimize energy and maximize productivity. Combining equilibrium and rate-based models, our analysis offers insights from thermodynamic, reactor, and economic perspectives.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Wang et al. (2024): Amine/vermiculite composite aerogels fabricated by polyethyleneimine-induced vermiculite nanosheet gelation for efficient direct air capture

Shuai Wang, Huilian Sun, Jie Wang, Cong Chen, Lanlan Jiang, Yi Zhang, Yu Liu, Yongchen Song, Zheng Ling IN: Chemical Engineering Journal, 498, 155478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.155478

In this study, a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method for fabricating amine/vermiculite composite aerogels is proposed for capturing CO2 from ambient air. Natural two-dimensional material, vermiculite nanosheets with exposed surface and intrinsic negative charge, was utilized as the the building blocks for fabricating aerogel as solid amine adsorbents, via the fast gelatin between vermiculite and amine, significantly reducing the cost of adsorbent preparation while achieving promising CO2 capture capability. The effects of amine loading, amine molecular weight, and porosity on CO2 capture capacity and amine efficiency were investigated.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Carpanez et al. (2024): Potential for nutrients reuse, carbon sequestration, and CO2 emissions reduction in the practice of domestic and industrial wastewater recycling into agricultural soils: A review

Thais Girardi Carpanez, Jonathas Batista Gonçalves Silva, Marcelo Henrique Otenio, Míriam Cristina Santos Amaral, Victor Rezende Moreira IN: Journal of Environmental Management, 370, 122443, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122443

This review assesses the feasibility of reusing treated wastewater for irrigation in agricultural soils as a strategy for nutrients recycling and mitigation of CO2 emissions. Through a literature review, it was examined wastewater sources enriched with carbon and nutrients, including municipal wastewater and associated sludge, vinasse, swine wastewater, as well as wastewater from the food industry and paper and pulp production. The review also explores the dynamics of organic matter within the soil, discussing the aspects related to its potential conversion to CO2 or long-term storage. 

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Li et al. (2024): Carbon Sequestration of Silica-Rich Biochar in Cement Accompanied by the Pozzolanic Effect

Yaqiang Li, Hui Lin, Yue Li, Jiale Shen, Changle Yang, Kai Wang IN: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 12, 37, https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c03831

To meet the dual needs of decarbonization and strength in cement, this paper explored the potential of two types of silica-rich biochar, rice husk biochar rich in amorphous silica and bamboo biochar rich in crystalline silica, as carbon-negative SCMs. Here, the hydration, microstructure, and mechanical properties of rice husk biochar and bamboo biochar blended cements were investigated. Similar to bamboo biochar, rice husk biochar reduces flowability and drying shrinkage due to its porous structure. However, rice husk biochar contains a large amount of amorphous silica, resulting in the promotion of hydration of clinker and a significant pozzolanic effect, which shortens the setting time of cement, improves the weak structure and bonding interface of biochar, and further increases the hydration degree and polymerization degree of calcium silicate hydrate.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Berlianti et al. (2024): Evaluation of Potential Use of Multi-Level Sprayer and Electronic Controlling in Simple Wet Scrubber for CO2 Removal and Water Usage Efficiency Enhancement

 Berlianti Berlianti, Indra Agus, Rahmi Berlianti IN: Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 51(1), https://doi.org/10.37934/araset.51.1.218228

The work evaluates whether applying a multi-level sprayer with electronic control can reduce the value of CO2. The study’s objective is to assess the potential utilisation of multi-level sprayers and electronic control in determining the efficiency of a basic wet scrubber for removing CO2 generated from burning garbage, particularly dry waste like paper, with the additional goal of minimising water usage. The system will be built in a small and simple wet scrubber with dimensions of 60 cm in height and about 40 cm in length and width. CO2 value and water usage in the wet scrubber will be measured. 

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Zhou et al. (2024): Biochar Catalysis for the Enhanced Abiotic Humification of Polyphenols: An Important Mechanism Helping Sequester Carbon

Jiangmin Zhou, Ziru Zhou, Chuanqing Yao, Yujie Zhang, Han Ren, Guining Lu, Hualin Chen IN: Agronomy, 14(9),  https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14091951

This study investigated the catalytic power of biochar from walnut shells at different temperatures (300 °C, 600 °C, and 900 °C) for the abiotic transformation of hydroquinone (HQ) as a representative polyphenol. All the biochar samples catalyzed HQ polymerization, resulting in the formation of humic polymers such as fulvic acids (FAs) and humic acids (HAs). The findings provide new insights into the application potential of biochar for promoting soil carbon sequestration.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Chen et al. (2024): Thermodynamics analysis of innovative carbon-negative systems for direct reduction of iron ore via chemical looping technology

Xiangxiang Chen, Zhuang Sun, Po-Chih Kuo, Muhammad Aziz IN: Energy, 309, 133019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2024.133019

To mitigate the significant carbon footprint of traditional ironmaking, this study evaluates four advanced direct reduced iron (DRI) systems powered primarily by biomass. These innovative systems employ chemical looping technology and CO2 capture techniques to produce carbon-negative iron. Detailed system modeling, optimization, and thermodynamic evaluations have been performed to analyze exergy flows, energy consumption composition and carbon emissions. 

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Nature – Bergagna et al. (2024): Blue carbon storage in a sub-Antarctic marine protected area

Lucía Bergagna, Gustavo Lovrich, Luciana Riccialdelli, Ricardo Sahade  IN: Scientific Reports, 14,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-71319-0

Here the authors show that the carbon reservoirs of these MPAs can be greater than those of their Antarctic counterparts, which, together with their extension, emphasize the need to maintain their protected status. They assume low sediment deposition due to the oceanic location, as direct sedimentation rates for these areas are unavailable. Most blue carbon assessments have focused solely on OC, despite the formation of CaCO3 releases CO2, decreasing net carbon storage. The authors compared various approaches for incorporating carbonates into carbon estimations. These results underscore the importance of including IC into carbon assessments and highlights the importance of sub-Antarctic benthic ecosystems as nature-based solutions to climate change.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Kim et al. (2024): Provincial-scale assessment of direct air capture to meet China’s climate neutrality goal under limited bioenergy supply

Hanwoong Kim, Yang Qiu, Haewon McJeon, Andres Clarens, Parisa Javadi, Can Wang, Rui Wang, Jiachen Wang, Hanying Jiang, Andy Miller IN: Environmental Research Letters, DOI 10.1088/1748-9326/ad77e7

This study uses a spatially detailed integrated energy-economy-climate model to evaluate DACCS for 31 provinces in China as the country pursues its goal of climate neutrality by 2060. The authors find that DACCS could expand China’s negative emissions capacity, particularly under sustainability-minded limits on bioenergy supply that are informed by bottom-up studies. For decision-makers and the energy-economy models guiding them, the results highlight the value of expanding beyond the current reliance on biomass for negative emissions in China.

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