New Air Filter Technology Could Turn Buildings into Large-Scale Carbon-Capture Systems
New Air Filter Technology Could Turn Buildings into Large-Scale Carbon-Capture Systems
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Researchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have developed a new air-filter technology that could allow ordinary buildings to function as carbon-capture sites, using existing heating and cooling systems, Earth.com reported.
The device, described in Science Advances, uses carbon nanofibers combined with polyethylenimine (PEI) to trap carbon dioxide as air circulates through HVAC units.
A full life-cycle analysis found the filter can remove 92% of CO₂ even after accounting for emissions from production, transport and disposal. The research team says the technology is designed for scalability because every building already moves large volumes of air daily. According to their estimates, widespread adoption could remove as much as 596 megatonnes of CO₂ per year — equivalent to taking 130 million cars off the road.
The filters may also lower energy use. A 2024 study cited by the researchers found they could reduce energy bills by up to 21%, since HVAC systems would need to intake and condition less outside air.
The filters are reusable and can be regenerated using only sunlight, which releases captured CO₂ without additional energy. The team envisions citywide collection systems where saturated filters are processed and the recovered carbon repurposed into fuels or industrial chemicals.
In addition to climate benefits, researchers say the technology improves indoor air quality by keeping CO₂ levels lower in crowded spaces such as classrooms and offices.
