Alkaline Hydrogel as a Novel Platform for Marine CO₂ Capture via Calcium Carbonate Mineralization
발표자
황은석 (포항공과대학교)
연구책임자
이기라 (포항공과대학교)
초록
내용
Direct Air Capture (DAC) has received attention as a climate change solution, but it requires high energy for air processing and CO₂ desorption, with additional treatment needed for captured CO₂. This study proposes an alternative using amine-based basic hydrogels introduced into seawater. The hydrogels, with their crosslinked structure, locally elevate pH, shifting the carbonate equilibrium to favor carbonate ion formation. These ions react with calcium to precipitate calcium carbonate, removing CO₂ from seawater and drawing atmospheric CO₂ into the ocean. pH-responsive fluorophores were used to visualize the pH impact zone. The decrease in calcium ion concentration, measured by ICP-OES, served as an indicator of CO₂ removal. A life cycle assessment (LCA) confirmed the hydrogel system’s net carbon removal effect. This approach provides an energy-efficient, ocean-based method for atmospheric CO₂ capture using passive chemistry driven by the hydrogel’s local pH modulation.