The new carbon storage technology is the fastest of its kind

A new way to store carbon captured from the atmosphere, developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, works much faster than current methods without the harmful chemical accelerators they require.

In new research published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, the team developed a technique for the ultrafast formation of carbon dioxide hydrates. These unique ice-like materials can bury carbon dioxide in the ocean, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere.

“We’re looking at a huge challenge – to find a way to safely remove gigatons of carbon from our atmosphere – and hydrates offer a universal solution for carbon storage. To be a major piece of the carbon storage 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 showed that we can grow hydrates quickly without using any chemicals that offset the ecological benefits of carbon capture.”

Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas and the main driver of climate change. Carbon capture and sequestration removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it permanently. It is considered a critical aspect of decarbonizing our planet.

Today, the most common method of carbon storage involves injecting carbon dioxide into underground reservoirs. This technique has the dual benefits of sequestering carbon as well as increasing oil production.

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

Hydrates represent a “plan B” for large-scale carbon storage, Bahadur said, but could become a “plan A” if some of the major problems can be overcome. Until now, the process of creating these carbon-trapping hydrates has been slow and energy-intensive, preventing them from becoming a means of carbon storage on a large scale.

In this new study, the researchers achieved a sixfold increase in the rate of hydrate formation compared to previous methods. The speed combined with the chemical-free process makes it easy to use these hydrates for bulk carbon storage.

Magnesium is the “secret sauce” in this research, acting as a catalyst that eliminates the need for chemical promoters. This is facilitated by high flow CO bubbling₂ in a specific reactor configuration. The technology works well with seawater, making it easy to implement because it does not rely on complex desalination processes to create fresh water.

“Hydrates are attractive carbon storage options because the seafloor offers stable thermodynamic conditions that protect them from decomposition.” said Bahadur. “Essentially, we’re making carbon storage available to every country on the planet that has a coastline; it makes storage more affordable 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 UT have applied for two patents related to the technology, and the team is considering a startup to commercialize it.