Researchers have developed a fast, energy-efficient method to turn coal into a carbon material that captures CO2. By combining pre-oxidation with microwave activation, they created a porous carbon with high CO2 uptake and selectivity. The process takes only 10 minutes, much faster than conventional furnace heating. The optimized material achieved a CO2 uptake of 4.72 mmol/g at 0 degrees Celsius and maintained 97.6% efficiency after ten cycles. This approach could lower the cost and energy required for carbon capture materials, making them more practical for industrial use. The study was published in Sustainable Carbon Materials.
