The ‘last resort’ material that can soak up CO2 directly from the air

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A low-cost, energy-efficient method is capable of making materials that can capture carbon dioxide directly from the air, new research suggests. By charging the charcoal sponge in this way, the researchers found the material could successfully capture CO2 directly from the air. The charged charcoal sponge requires much lower temperatures to remove the captured CO2 so it can be stored, making it potentially more energy efficient than current carbon capture approaches, the researchers suggest. “This approach opens a door to making all kinds of materials for different applications, in a way that’s simple and energy-efficient.” open image in gallery Carbon dioxide build-up in the atmosphere is entirely because of humans Current approaches for direct air capture – which uses sponge-like materials to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – are expensive, and need high temperatures and the use of natural gas.