Sometimes, solving big problems means taking something away rather than adding more.
That’s exactly what researchers at the University of Houston have done to make carbon capture systems cheaper, simpler, and more effective.
Their two recent breakthroughs could play a major role in reducing emissions from power plants and tackling climate change.
The research team, led by Professor Mim Rahimi at UH’s Cullen College of Engineering, has been working on ways to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) more efficiently.
Since CO₂ is one of the main drivers of global warming, finding practical methods to remove it from industrial exhaust is seen as one of the “low-hanging fruits” in the fight against climate change.
The first breakthrough was published in Nature Communications and focuses on an improved version of a process known as electrochemically mediated amine regeneration (EMAR). In traditional EMAR systems, membranes are used to separate chemical reactions.
But these membranes are expensive, fragile, and often the cause of performance issues. Rahimi’s team came up with a way to eliminate the membrane altogether, using gas diffusion electrodes instead.
The results were dramatic. This membraneless process removed more than 90% of CO₂ from exhaust streams—nearly 50% more efficient than the conventional approach. Just as importantly, it cut the cost of capturing carbon to about $70 per metric ton, making it competitive with today’s leading amine-based scrubbing methods.
“By removing the membrane and the extra hardware, we’ve simplified the system and lowered energy use,” explained Ahmad Hassan, the Ph.D. student who led the study. “This means the technology could be retrofitted into existing factories and power plants with minimal cost.”
The second breakthrough came from Ph.D. student Mohsen Afshari, whose work was published in ACS ES&T Engineering and even featured on the journal’s cover. Afshari developed a vanadium redox flow battery that does double duty: it captures CO₂ while storing renewable energy.
During charging, the system absorbs CO₂, and when it discharges, the CO₂ is released in a controlled way. Thanks to vanadium’s unique chemistry, the system showed strong stability and a high ability to capture carbon.
This means the technology could help solve two pressing challenges at once: reducing carbon emissions and balancing the electric grid when renewable energy sources like solar and wind fluctuate.
“Integrating carbon capture into a flow battery lets us clean the air while supporting renewable energy,” Afshari said.
Both studies highlight how creative engineering can bring us closer to a low-carbon future. By stripping away costly parts and combining functions, these innovations could help industries cut their emissions without breaking the bank.
“From membraneless systems to scalable flow batteries, we’re working to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and support the clean energy transition,” Rahimi said.
With discoveries like these, the path to greener power may be a little less costly—and a lot more possible.
