New Battery-Based Device Demonstrates Carbon Dioxide Capture Technique

<p>Equipment designed to capture carbon dioxide from ambient air or smokestacks typically operates using a reversible filter mechanism. Air is passed through granules or a liquid that absorbs CO₂, and then the CO₂-loaded substance undergoes a process, usually involving heating, which releases the absorbed CO₂. The released gas can then be collected separately.</p><p>A new study led by James Buchen from the University of Delaware presents a battery-based electrochemical carbon-capture technique that may be more viable than previous methods. This technique has the potential to require less energy and be more cost-effective than the conventional reversible-filter designs.</p><h2>Carbon Chemistry</h2><p>The fundamental concept of this device is that hydroxide produced at the battery cathode reacts with CO₂, converting it into carbonate or bicarbonate that then passes through the separator membrane to the anode. At the anode, the lower pH level reverses the reaction, converting carbonate back into CO₂ gas. The cathode's role is to produce hydroxide ions, while the anode's role is to consume them.</p>