Battery-inspired carbon capture system pulls legacy CO2 from air using saltwater and electricity

Engineers at the University of Illinois have developed a new electrochemical device that captures carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere by mimicking the charge and discharge cycle of a battery, according to two reports on the technology. The system uses electricity and saltwater to operate at room temperature and ambient pressure, a potential breakthrough for removing CO2 that has already accumulated in the air.

sflorg.com reported that the collaborative research team includes engineers Paul Rozzi, Professor Kyle Smith, and JeongA Lee. Their device relies on proton-intercalation electrodes to achieve Direct Air Capture (DAC) without the high heat or pressure required by conventional carbon capture methods. The saltwater serves as the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell, enabling the selective absorption of CO2 from ambient air.

sflorg.comNew battery-like device uses electricity and saltwater to capture CO2 directly from the air

Tech Xplore noted that this approach could help address the planet's excess CO2 problem by targeting legacy emissions rather than only capturing from industrial point sources. Unlike traditional DAC systems that often consume significant energy to regenerate sorbents, the battery-like process offers a more energy-efficient alternative by using electricity at low voltage.

Tech XploreBattery-like device pulls CO₂ from air using electricity and saltwater chemistry

The system's room-temperature and ambient-pressure operation may make it easier to scale and deploy in diverse locations, according to sflorg.com. While still at the laboratory stage, the device represents a novel direction in carbon removal technology, with the potential to complement existing strategies for combating climate change.