Scalable Carbon Dioxide Capture Using Clay-Derived Zeolites via Atomic Rearrangement

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Effective carbon capture is vital for climate change mitigation and sustainable industry.
• Developing scalable, cost-effective adsorbents with high CO2 capacity, selectivity, and stability is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the scalable synthesis of Linde Type A zeolite from halloysite clay.
• To evaluate the CO2 adsorption capacity, selectivity, and stability of the synthesized zeolite.

Main Methods:

• Scalable synthesis of Linde Type A zeolite via atomic reassembly of halloysite clay.
• Utilizing mature industrial processes for material transformation.
• In situ testing for adsorption mechanism and regeneration studies.

Main Results:

• Achieved high CO2 adsorption capacity (5.0 mmol g⁻¹).
• Demonstrated outstanding CO2/N2 selectivity (178 for 5% CO2).
• Exhibited good cyclic stability and robust thermal stability over multiple adsorption-desorption cycles.

Conclusions:

• The atomic reassembly of halloysite clay provides a scalable strategy for high-performance carbon capture adsorbents.
• The synthesized zeolite offers a promising solution for gigaton-scale carbon dioxide capture applications.
• Weakly bound interactions facilitate easy regeneration, enhancing practical applicability.