Researchers at Monash University have developed a new class of low-cost solid materials that show great potential for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere, a key technology for mitigating climate change.
The materials, known as “meso-macroporous melamine formaldehyde (MF),” can be produced relatively easily and inexpensively from the common chemicals melamine and formaldehyde.
Their highly porous structure facilitates the direct air capture (DAC) of CO2, a process that has been hindered by the poor performance and high costs of existing materials.
“We believe these MF materials represent a significant advance towards commercialisation of DAC processes,” said co-lead researcher Professor Paul Webley.
“The ultrahigh pore volume and the meso-macroporous structure makes MF a superior base for making DAC adsorbent materials.”
The MF materials can be formed into various shapes like droplets, pellets, and coatings.
They can also be easily impregnated with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), a proven adsorbent for removing CO2 from gas mixtures.
TEPA contains amine groups, which have a strong ability to chemically bind and capture CO2, even at the low concentrations found in ambient air.
Although CO2 levels have risen rapidly from about 280 to 415 parts per million since the Industrial Revolution, it still accounts for only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere.
“Our results demonstrate the great potential of amine-impregnated MF adsorbents for carbon capture, paving the way for the development of advanced DAC systems,” Professor Webley stated.
The study, titled ‘Amine-functionalised meso-macroporous polymers for efficient CO2 capture from ambient air’, was published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Large-scale deployment of DAC technology has been slow due to the limitations of existing materials.
The new MF adsorbents could help enable widespread adoption of this negative emissions technology, which is considered crucial for achieving net-zero emissions targets and limiting global warming.
By capturing CO2 directly from the air, DAC systems can potentially remove previously emitted greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, complementing efforts to reduce emissions at the source.
The development of effective and affordable DAC materials is a significant step towards making this technology viable on a global scale.
