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Related Concept Videos

The Carbon Cycle01:14

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Carbon is the basis of all organic matter on Earth, and is recycled through the ecosystem in two primary processes: one in which carbon is exchanged among living organisms, and one in which carbon is cycled over long periods of time through fossilized organic remains, weathering of rocks, and volcanic activity. Human activities, including increased agricultural practices and the burning of fossil fuels, has greatly affected the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
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Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...
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Gas exchange, the intake of molecular oxygen (O2) from the environment and the outflow of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment, is necessary for cellular function. Gas exchange during respiration occurs largely via the movement of gas molecules along pressure gradients. Gas travels from areas of higher partial pressure to areas of lower partial pressure. In mammals, gas exchange occurs in the alveoli of the lungs, which are adjacent to capillaries and share a membrane with them.
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Updated: May 16, 2025

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Dual Function Materials Enabling Human Space Flight: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Conversion for Life Support on Crewed

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Chem & Bio Engineering
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PubMed
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Dual function materials (DFMs) efficiently capture and convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into water. This recycling process is crucial for long-duration spaceflight, outperforming current systems with moist air.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Aerospace Engineering

Background:

  • Accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2) in spacecraft cabins poses a significant risk to astronaut health.
  • Direct air capture of CO2 is vital for mitigating climate change on Earth.
  • Current CO2 removal systems require dry air, increasing complexity and resource demands.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of dual function materials (DFMs) for capturing and converting CO2 from simulated spacecraft cabin air.
  • To evaluate DFM performance under realistic, humid conditions relevant to human spaceflight.
  • To assess DFMs as a potential recycling solution for CO2, producing water.

Main Methods:

  • DFMs were tested for CO2 capture and conversion capabilities using gas mixtures simulating astronaut cabin air (1500-3000 ppm CO2).
  • Experiments were conducted with both dry and moist air inlets to assess the impact of humidity.
  • CO2 capacity and uptake rates were measured under varying conditions.

Main Results:

  • DFMs demonstrated a nearly fourfold increase in CO2 capacity and a tenfold increase in uptake rates with moist air compared to dry air.
  • The wet CO2 capture capacity of the DFM was found to be comparable to current state-of-the-art sorbents used on the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Unlike ISS systems, DFMs maintain high performance in the presence of moisture, eliminating the need for pre-drying.

Conclusions:

  • DFMs offer a promising, integrated solution for CO2 removal and recycling in spacecraft, converting CO2 into water.
  • The superior performance of DFMs with moist air presents a significant advantage over existing technologies, simplifying system design.
  • This technology has the potential to substantially reduce mass, size, power consumption, and complexity, enabling longer human space missions.