New carbon storage technology is the fastest of its kind

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new way to capture carbon from the atmosphere that works much faster than current methods and doesn’t require the harmful chemical accelerators.

In new research published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineeringthe team developed a technique for ultra-fast formation of carbon dioxide hydrates. These unique ice-like materials can bury carbon dioxide in the ocean, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

“We face a huge challenge: finding a way to safely remove gigatons of carbon from our atmosphere. Hydrates offer a universal solution for carbon capture. For them to be a significant piece of the carbon capture pie, we need the technology to grow them quickly and at scale,” said Vaibhav Bahadur, a professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering who led the research. “We have shown that we can grow hydrates quickly without using chemicals that negate the environmental benefits of carbon capture.”

Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas and a major driver of climate change. Carbon capture and storage removes carbon from the atmosphere and permanently stores it. It is seen as a crucial aspect of decarbonizing our planet.

Today, the most common method of carbon storage is to inject carbon dioxide into underground reservoirs. This technique has the dual benefit of capturing carbon and increasing oil production.

However, this technique has significant problems, including carbon dioxide leakage and migration, groundwater contamination, and seismic hazards associated with injection. Many parts of the world also lack suitable geological features for reservoir injection.

Hydrates represent a “plan B” for gigascale carbon storage, Bahadur said, but they could become “plan A” if some of the key challenges can be overcome. Until now, the process of forming these carbon-trapping hydrates has been slow and energy-intensive, which has held them back from becoming a large-scale way to store carbon.

In this new study, the researchers achieved a six-fold increase in the hydrate formation rate compared to previous methods. The speed combined with the chemistry-free process makes it easier to use these hydrates for large-scale carbon storage.

Magnesium represents the “secret sauce” in this research, acting as a catalyst that eliminates the need for chemical promoters. This is aided by the high flow rate of CO₂ in a specific reactor configuration. This technology works well with seawater, making it easier to implement because it does not rely on complex desalination processes to create fresh water.

“Hydrates are attractive options for carbon storage because the seafloor provides stable thermodynamic conditions that protect them from decomposition,” Bahadur said. “We are essentially making carbon storage available to every country on the planet with a coastline; this makes storage more accessible and feasible on a global scale, and brings us closer to achieving a sustainable future.”

The implications of this breakthrough extend beyond carbon sequestration. Ultrafast hydrate formation has potential applications in desalination, gas separation and gas storage, offering a versatile solution for various industries.

The researchers and the UT have applied for two patents for the technology and the team is considering setting up a startup to bring the technology to market.