6 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST CHRISTA NEU Researchers led by Arup K. SenGupta, Rossin professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and civil and environmental engineering at Lehigh, have developed a novel way to capture carbon pollution from the air, convert it into baking soda and release it harmlessly into the “infinite sink” of the ocean. The approach uses an innovative copper-containing polymeric filter and converts CO2 into sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) that can be released harmlessly into the ocean. This new hybrid material is called DeCarbonHIX and is described in a paper recently published in the journal Science Advances. The research demonstrated a 300% increase in the amount of carbon captured compared with existing direct air capture methods and has garnered attention from media outlets like the BBC, CNN, Fast Company and The Daily Beast. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. “The climate crisis is an international problem,” said SenGupta. “And I believe we have a responsibility to build direct air capture technology in a way that it can be implemented by people and countries around the world. Anyone who can operate a cell phone should be able to operate this process. This is not technology for making money. It’s for saving the world.” SenGupta said his technology “allows you to remove CO2 from anywhere, even your own backyard.” His invention was the outcome of an ongoing CO2-driven wastewater desalination project funded by the Bureau of Reclamation under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior.—Christine Fennessy “ANYONE WHO CAN OPERATE A CELL PHONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OPERATE THIS PROCESS. THIS IS NOT TECHNOLOGY FOR MAKING MONEY. IT’S FOR SAVING THE WORLD.” —Arup K. SenGupta DeCarbonHIX is a mechanically strong, chemically stable sorbent that contains copper and captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere very selectively. RESEARCH ʼ45 A Novel Way to Capture Carbon Pollution A new system powered by renewable energy could use seawater to convert and store CO2.
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