Revolutionary Carbon Capture Technology Using Tris for Cost-Effective CO2 Absorption

Capturing carbon dioxide from industrial facilities represents a crucial strategy in the global effort to combat climate change. This technology is applicable across various industries, including petrochemicals, cement production, and fertilizers.

Innovations in Carbon Capture Chemistry

The latest advancement by chemical engineers involves incorporating tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, or tris, into carbonate capture solutions. This addition stabilizes the pH level during CO2 absorption, allowing enhanced uptake at lower temperatures and reducing operational costs.

The system can release captured CO2 at just 60°C (140°F), a significant improvement over traditional methods that require heating above 120°C, thus minimizing energy consumption.

Mechanism and Efficiency Gains

Tris acts as a pH buffer, preventing rapid acidity drops during CO2 absorption and enabling a threefold increase in uptake capacity. Its temperature sensitivity facilitates efficient CO2 release with mild heating by causing proton release and pH decline.

“This approach allows for greater CO2 absorption at room temperature and efficient release with mild heating,” noted Guo, a researcher involved in the study.

Industrial Application and Sustainability

The potassium carbonate-tris solution offers stability, cost-effectiveness, and low emissions, making it ideal for widespread industrial use. The system operates at atmospheric pressure, potentially using renewable energy sources such as solar power or industrial waste heat.

The design facilitates easy adoption by existing carbon capture infrastructures, allowing seamless switching from traditional amine-based solvents to this enhanced carbonate method.

Future Directions and Collaborations

Researchers continue to explore additives that could further improve CO2 absorption rates. The project benefits from collaboration with Eni S.p.A. under the MIT–Eni research framework agreement, aiming to accelerate practical implementation.