Stanford Scientists Develop Low-Cost Method to Capture Carbon Using Common Rocks

Chemists at Stanford University have developed a low-cost method to effectively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using common minerals. This innovative process involves heating silicate minerals, which can be produced in conventional kilns, to enhance their reactivity and enable them to capture and sequester CO2 rapidly. Traditionally, the weathering process of these minerals occurs over hundreds to thousands of years, but the new technique significantly accelerates this reaction, addressing the challenge of human greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Matthew Kanan and postdoctoral researcher Yuxuan Chen highlight the scalability of their approach, emphasizing the Earth's vast supply of minerals suitable for this purpose. Supported by a grant from the Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the team is now looking to transition their research into practical applications. Their findings could play a crucial role in combating climate change by providing a sustainable solution for carbon capture.