TL;DR
Researchers at the University of Helsinki report a recyclable liquid made from a superbase and an alcohol that captures CO2 from ambient air. One gram of the compound absorbs 156 mg of CO2, which can be released at 70 °C in 30 minutes and the fluid retains partial capacity after repeated cycles.
What happened
A research group at the University of Helsinki has developed a recyclable filtration fluid composed of a superbase combined with an alcohol that captures carbon dioxide directly from untreated ambient air. In lab tests, one gram of the compound absorbed 156 milligrams of CO2 while showing selectivity for CO2 over nitrogen, oxygen and other atmospheric gases. The captured carbon dioxide can be released by heating the compound to 70 °C for about 30 minutes, yielding clean CO2 for potential reuse. The fluid is reported as non-toxic and inexpensive to produce. Reusability tests indicated the compound retained about 75% of its initial capture capacity after 50 capture/release cycles and roughly 50% after 100 cycles. The team plans to move from gram-scale trials to near-industrial pilot testing and aims to create a solid form by binding the active fluid to supports such as silica or graphene oxide.
Why it matters
- Lower regeneration energy: CO2 release at 70 °C is far less energy-intensive than processes requiring very high temperatures.
- Direct air capture: the fluid captures CO2 from untreated ambient air and does not react with major atmospheric gases.
- Reusability: the compound can be cycled multiple times, showing measurable retention of capacity over dozens of cycles.
- Potential cost and safety advantages: reported components are inexpensive and the fluid is described as non-toxic.
Key facts
- Active compound combines a superbase (TBN) with benzyl alcohol.
- Capture capacity measured at 156 milligrams of CO2 per gram of compound.
- CO2 is released by heating to 70 °C for about 30 minutes, producing clean CO2 for reuse.
- Retained ~75% of original capacity after 50 cycles and ~50% after 100 cycles.
- Researchers report the compound does not react with nitrogen, oxygen or other atmospheric gases.
- Components are described as inexpensive to produce and the fluid is non-toxic.
- Development involved more than a year of experimentation with various bases.
- Next steps include pilot-plant testing at near-industrial scale and making a solid version by binding the fluid to supports such as silica or graphene oxide.
What to watch next
- Pilot-plant trials at near-industrial scale to validate performance beyond gram-scale tests (confirmed in the source).
- Development of a solid form by attaching the compound to supports like silica or graphene oxide (confirmed in the source).
- Longer-term stability, full lifecycle energy and cost analyses, and field deployment timelines: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Superbase: A chemical base substantially stronger than hydroxide; used in some reactions to bind or activate molecules such as CO2.
- Benzyl alcohol: An aromatic alcohol commonly used as a solvent and intermediate in chemical synthesis; here combined with a superbase to form the capture fluid.
- Direct air capture (DAC): Technologies that remove carbon dioxide directly from ambient atmospheric air rather than from concentrated point sources.
- Pilot plant: A small-scale industrial system used to test a process under conditions approximating commercial operation before full-scale deployment.
Reader FAQ
Who developed the compound?
The work was carried out by researchers at the University of Helsinki, led by postdoctoral researcher Zahra Eshaghi Gorji.
How much CO2 does the compound capture?
Laboratory tests showed one gram of the compound captured 156 milligrams of carbon dioxide.
At what temperature is the CO2 released?
Captured CO2 can be released by heating the compound to 70 °C for about 30 minutes.
Is this ready for commercial deployment?
The team plans pilot-plant tests and needs to produce a solid version for scale-up; full commercialization timelines are not confirmed in the source.
Home News News and press releases Efficient method to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere developed at the University of Helsinki Efficient method to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere…
Sources
- Efficient method to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
- Researchers develop efficient, reusable compound for …
- Low-energy compound pulls CO2 from thin air without …
- Helsinki chemists develop low temperature direct air …
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