A team led by Professor Heheping Xie, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Institute of Deep Earth Science and Green Energy at Shenzhen University, has introduced a groundbreaking low-energy electrochemical carbon capture strategy.
GUANGMING.COM
A team led by Professor Heping Xie, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Institute of Deep Earth Science and Green Energy at Shenzhen University, has introduced a groundbreaking low-energy electrochemical carbon capture strategy. The findings were recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.
Electrochemical carbon capture is emerging as a promising alternative in the quest for sustainable carbon reduction. Its ability to utilize renewable electricity without the need for energy-intensive temperature shifts has attracted significant attention. However, the technology faces hurdles in practical application, including process instability and challenges with large-scale deployment. Particularly in oxygen-rich environments such as air or flue gases, issues like oxygen side reactions and electrode degradation have hindered long-term stability and efficiency.
The research team tackled these challenges with a novel "dual-step reaction" approach, which integrates electrochemical and chemical processes. Unlike traditional single-step reactions, this strategy separates key reactions across electrodes: hydrogen evolution occurs at the cathode, while organic redox carriers are oxidized at the anode. This design effectively regulates the pH of the electrolyte, achieving a low-energy, highly efficient carbon capture process.Experimental results showcased the system's remarkable performance, maintaining stable operation for 200 hours while consuming just 1.12 gigajoules of energy per ton of CO₂ captured. These metrics position the technology as a frontrunner in low-energy carbon capture solutions.
The team has also developed a prototype capable of processing 1,500 liters of flue gas per day, marking the first of its kind globally. In scaled-up demonstrations, the system successfully produced 0.4 kilograms of high-purity CO₂ daily and operated continuously for over 72 hours. These achievements underscore the method's feasibility for industrial-scale carbon reduction applications.
This innovative strategy and its successful validation mark a significant milestone in the evolution of carbon capture technologies. By combining cutting-edge science with practical implementation, the team has provided a scalable and efficient solution to one of the most pressing challenges in combating climate change.As countries worldwide accelerate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, advancements like this could play a pivotal role in reshaping the global approach to sustainable energy and emissions reduction.