Distributed direct air capture by carbon nanofiber air filters

The rising atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentration is one of the biggest challenges human civilization faces. Direct air capture (DAC) that removes CO<sub>2</sub> from the atmosphere provides great potential in carbon neutralization. However, the massive land use and capital investment of centralized DAC plants and the energy-intensive process of adsorbent regeneration limit its wide employment. We develop a distributed carbon nanofiber (CNF)-based DAC air filter capable of adsorbing CO<sub>2</sub> downstream in ventilation systems. The DAC air filter not only has the potential to remove 596 MtCO<sub>2</sub> year<sup>-1</sup> globally but can also decrease energy consumption in existing building systems. The CNF-based adsorbent has a capacity of 4 mmol/g and can be regenerated via solar thermal or electrothermal methods with low carbon footprints. Through life cycle assessment, the CNF air filter shows a carbon removal efficiency of 92.1% from cradle to grave. Additionally, techno-economic analysis estimates a cost of $209 to 668 in capturing and storing 1 tonne of CO<sub>2</sub> from direct air.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Science Advances
Published
2025-10-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adv6846
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.43
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Distributed direct air capture by carbon nanofiber air filters

Gangbin Yan, Amar Ruthen, Hernan E. Delgado, Adarsh Suresh et al.
2 citations
Science Advances
Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies
1.43
article

Distributed direct air capture by carbon nanofiber air filters

Gangbin Yan, Amar Ruthen, Hernan E. Delgado, Adarsh Suresh, David B. Mitzi, Po‐Chun Hsu, Yuanke Chen, Genesis Higueros, Amgad Elgowainy, Yu Han, Chenxi Sui, Ronghui Wu, Qingsong Fan, Qizhang Li, Edward Luo, Chong Liu, Yi Xie
article en
2 citations

Abstract

The rising atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentration is one of the biggest challenges human civilization faces. Direct air capture (DAC) that removes CO<sub>2</sub> from the atmosphere provides great potential in carbon neutralization. However, the massive land use and capital investment of centralized DAC plants and the energy-intensive process of adsorbent regeneration limit its wide employment. We develop a distributed carbon nanofiber (CNF)-based DAC air filter capable of adsorbing CO<sub>2</sub> downstream in ventilation systems. The DAC air filter not only has the potential to remove 596 MtCO<sub>2</sub> year<sup>-1</sup> globally but can also decrease energy consumption in existing building systems. The CNF-based adsorbent has a capacity of 4 mmol/g and can be regenerated via solar thermal or electrothermal methods with low carbon footprints. Through life cycle assessment, the CNF air filter shows a carbon removal efficiency of 92.1% from cradle to grave. Additionally, techno-economic analysis estimates a cost of $209 to 668 in capturing and storing 1 tonne of CO<sub>2</sub> from direct air.

Science AdvancesVol. 11(42)
Argonne National Laboratory (US), Duke University (US), Nanyang Technological University (SG), University of Chicago (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies
1.43
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.