Devising Metal-Organic Framework Technology for Scalable Direct Air Capture of CO2

Overview

Human activity and fossil fuel consumption continue to increase the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) content to extraordinary levels, compounding the greenhouse-gas effect and driving global warming. This poses an urgent need for sustainable technologies that reduce CO2 pollution levels: namely, ones for direct air capture of CO2 from ambient air (DAC). This project aims to scale up, and industrially optimize, the metal-organic framework NbOFFIVE-Ni-1 for use in a novel DAC and utilization system. To accomplish this, new techniques for synthesis and purification of the nanoporous metal-organic framework NbOFFIVE-Ni-1 were employed to elevate its CO2-uptake performance, as reported in the existing literature. Then, the compaction pressure for pelletizing the powdery product into a large-scale, reactor-compatible form was optimized. The integrity of the framework structure was monitored via powder X-ray diffraction, and carbon dioxide adsorption measurements examined the effect on uptake performance after pelletizing. The shape and size of the pellets were then optimized for space-efficiency and surface-area-to-volume ratio. After optimized conditions were found, a two-kilogram reactor-system prototype of NbOFFIVE-Ni-1 was designed and built, and an effective batch-process system for filtering carbon dioxide from polluted atmospheric air was devised. This prototype was then tested for cyclability and adsorption-desorption performance. This validated it as direct air capture technology that is favorable for large-scale implementation, verifying that it will significantly contribute towards carbon-negative solutions and meeting the U.S.'s net zero emissions goal by 2050.

Competition history

• ISEF 2025 Chemistry · Entry CHEM011

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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