Scientists in Spain have developed a new material that can capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the air more efficiently than many current technologies.
The breakthrough could help reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and support efforts to slow climate change.
The research was carried out by a team from the Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM) and the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló.
The project was led by researcher Marcileia Zanatta, whose team has also filed a Spanish patent application for the new technology.
Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
Although reducing emissions is essential, many experts believe that removing some of the CO₂ already in the atmosphere will also be necessary to meet future climate goals.
Capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air is especially difficult because the gas is present at very low levels.
Air contains only about 0.04% carbon dioxide, meaning capture systems must separate a tiny amount of CO₂ from large amounts of other gases such as nitrogen and oxygen.
Many existing carbon capture systems use chemicals called amines. While these materials can absorb carbon dioxide, they often have important drawbacks. They can slowly break down over time, evaporate during use, and become less effective when carbon dioxide levels are very low.
To overcome these problems, the Spanish researchers developed a new class of absorbent salts. These materials are designed to capture carbon dioxide efficiently even from ordinary air.
Once the carbon dioxide has been collected, it can be released in a controlled way for storage underground or for use in making other products.
According to the researchers, the new absorbents not only capture large amounts of carbon dioxide but also do so selectively. This means they mainly absorb carbon dioxide while leaving most other gases behind, making the process more efficient.
The team believes the technology could fit into existing carbon capture systems without requiring major redesigns. This could make it easier for industries to adopt the new materials if they prove successful on a larger scale.
The technology has already been tested successfully in the laboratory. During experiments using both normal air and industrial gas mixtures, the new absorbents performed better than commercial products currently used as benchmarks. The tests showed strong carbon dioxide capture even at very low concentrations while maintaining excellent selectivity.
The researchers see many possible uses for the technology. It could be used in direct air capture systems that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reduce greenhouse gas levels. It may also improve industrial emission treatment by removing carbon dioxide from factory exhaust gases before they enter the atmosphere.
Other possible applications include cleaning biogas by removing unwanted carbon dioxide to improve fuel quality, and supplying captured carbon dioxide for use in the chemical industry to manufacture valuable products instead of releasing the gas into the air.
Although the technology has so far been demonstrated only at laboratory scale, the research team is now looking for industrial partners to help expand production, test the system in real operating conditions, and bring it to the market.
If future large-scale testing is successful, this new carbon capture material could become an important tool in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide while supporting cleaner industries and a more sustainable future.
