Delivering a superior zeolite technology
for CO2 extraction
About Zeolites
A porous, crystalline material made of aluminosilicates (oxides consisting of mainly aluminum and silicon). Zeolites are minerals that occur naturally in the earth, but they can also be produced by industrial methods for tailored applications. For decades, these materials have been used in a wide variety of applications as catalysts, adsorbents, detergents, and ion exchangers. They are commonly used to make transportation fuels and chemicals for industry. Zeolites are one of the most successful environmental solutions to numerous air, water and radioactive pollution issues. They have residential applications as well, such as use water filtration and softening and even cat litter to trap those pesky odors. The well-established zeolite market and adsorption properties make them superior candidates for use in direct air capture (DAC).
ZeoDAC’s unique patented process to directly capture CO2 from the air
Imagine a zeolite as a vast network of small cages. While not visible to the naked eye, the zeolites’ porous, crystalline structures create micro-sized cages and openings, and some of them can be roughly the size of an oxygen (O2) or a carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule. By identifying the optimal zeolite structure, we can selectively trap CO2 in the zeolite cage while the rest of the air components pass right through. The retained CO2 later can be removed by the input of low energy and utilized.
While there are hundreds of zeolite types that are known, the ZeoDAC patented process utilizes what is the best zeolite for capturing low concentrations of CO2 from air. ZeoDAC’s patented process that exploits a commercially available zeolite adsorbs more CO2 from air than competing zeolites and releases the CO2 with less energy than other solid sorbents. The liberated CO2 can be used in carbonated beverages, chemical manufacturing, or sequestration.
ZeoDAC’s unique advantages
Over the past few years, numerous DAC companies have initiated their work. The ZeoDAC patented molecular sieve process is unique in the field of DAC. Unlike many carbon capture companies, ZeoDAC does NOT utilize amines to chemically adsorb CO2 from air. Amine adsorbents degrade by reacting with oxygen in air resulting in emission of volatile organic compounds, ammonia, and possibly other pollutants. While many companies utilize amines as key components for their adsorbents, ZeoDAC’s molecular sieve offers extended stability with no degradation upon exposure to air. Zeolites are environmentally benign and robust materials that have been safely used in many applications for decades. These materials will not require frequent replacement and have NO risk of releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
Due to the widespread industrial usage of zeolites, there are well-established, world-wide supply chains for many types of zeolites. ZeoDAC relies on this robust supply chain to rapidly develop and deploy their process. ZeoDAC’s two-step process can creates purified water while also capturing CO2. Our process can be deployed in water scarce regions to provide clean water while creating a negative carbon footprint.