Low-energy compound pulls CO2 from thin air without extreme heat

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have developed a novel low-energy compound capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from ambient air without reacting with other atmospheric gases or requiring extreme heat. The compound, created by combining a superbase called 1,5,7-triazabicyclo [4.3.0] non-6-ene (TBN) with benzyl alcohol, demonstrated a high CO2 capture capacity of 156 mg per gram in laboratory tests. Unlike many existing direct air capture materials, this compound selectively binds CO2 without capturing nitrogen or oxygen and releases the captured CO2 efficiently at a relatively low temperature of 70 °C (158 °F), a significant improvement over conventional methods that often require temperatures above 900 °C. The compound also showed strong durability, retaining 75% of its CO2 capture capacity after 50 cycles and 50% after 100 cycles, suggesting potential for cost-effective reuse. The researchers highlight that the components are non-toxic