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Direct air capture of CO2 for solar fuel production in flow

Author

Listed:
  • Sayan Kar

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Dongseok Kim

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Bidyut Bikash Sarma

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Michael Stanton

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Erwin Lam

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Subhajit Bhattacharjee

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Suvendu Karak

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Heather F. Greer

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Erwin Reisner

    (University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Direct air capture is an emerging technology to decrease atmospheric CO2 levels, but it is currently costly and the long-term consequences of CO2 storage are uncertain. An alternative approach is to utilize atmospheric CO2 on-site to produce value-added renewable fuels, but current CO2 utilization technologies predominantly require a concentrated CO2 feed or high temperature. Here we report a gas-phase dual-bed direct air carbon capture and utilization flow reactor that produces syngas (CO + H2) through on-site utilization of air-captured CO2 using light without requiring high temperature or pressure. The reactor consists of a bed of solid silica-amine adsorbent to capture aerobic CO2 and produce CO2-free air; concentrated light is used to release the captured CO2 and convert it to syngas over a bed of a silica/alumina-titania-cobalt bis(terpyridine) molecular–semiconductor photocatalyst. We use the oxidation of depolymerized poly(ethylene terephthalate) plastics as the counter-reaction. We envision this technology to operate in a diurnal fashion where CO2 is captured during night-time and converted to syngas under concentrated sunlight during the day.

Suggested Citation

  • Sayan Kar & Dongseok Kim & Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar & Bidyut Bikash Sarma & Michael Stanton & Erwin Lam & Subhajit Bhattacharjee & Suvendu Karak & Heather F. Greer & Erwin Reisner, 2025. "Direct air capture of CO2 for solar fuel production in flow," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 10(4), pages 448-459, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:10:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1038_s41560-025-01714-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01714-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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