by Paul Dailing
Chicago IL (SPX) Nov 12, 2025
Researchers on the College of Chicago Pritzker College of Molecular Engineering have developed a nanofiber air filter designed for constructing air flow programs that captures airborne carbon dioxide and will decrease family power prices.
The crew, led by Assistant Professor Po-Chun Hsu, designed a distributed carbon nanofiber direct air seize filter that transforms residential and industrial HVAC programs into localized carbon-capture websites. The filter operates with over 92 p.c effectivity in extracting carbon dioxide from indoor air, even after factoring in emissions related to manufacturing, transport, and disposal.
First writer Ronghui Wu famous that integrating carbon-capture filters into air flow infrastructure may take away CO2 with out developing new services or requiring further land. Changing all typical constructing filters with this nanofiber model may eradicate as a lot as 596 megatonnes of carbon dioxide yearly, corresponding to eradicating 130 million automobiles from service for a 12 months.
A research carried out in 2024 discovered that utilizing these filters may cut back constructing power expenditures by as much as 21.66 p.c. Commonplace HVAC programs pull outdoors air to decrease indoor CO2 ranges, however the carbon-capture filter removes CO2 from indoor air straight, leading to much less want for temperature adjustment and decrease general power consumption.
The design permits the CO2 to be launched from the saturated filter utilizing photo voltaic warmth, enabling regeneration utilizing renewable power sources. By using a carbon nanofiber-polyethylenimine materials, the filter matches the shape issue of conventional HEPA filters however permits common recycling and reactivation relatively than landfill disposal.
The researchers suggest a system the place waste administration companies periodically accumulate spent filters for centralized CO2 extraction. The concentrated CO2 may very well be sequestered or used as a feedstock for chemical compounds or fuels.
This filter additionally enhances indoor air high quality, notably in crowded settings akin to places of work or lecture rooms, contributing to improved alertness and well-being.
Analysis Report:Distributed direct air seize by carbon nanofiber air filters
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College of Chicago
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