CORVALLIS, OR – Oregon State University scientists have filed a patent application for a new carbon capture material, dubbed BVR-X, that turns moisture in factory flue emissions into an advantage.
The findings, published in Angewandte Chemie, focus on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—crystalline, sponge-like structures that intercept carbon dioxide. While humidity typically degrades capture materials or requires costly drying processes, BVR-X directs water and carbon dioxide to different regions within its nanosized pores, preventing moisture from blocking capture sites.
Industrial activities generate 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In testing, BVR-X efficiently captured carbon dioxide from a highly humid stream containing just 4% CO2—conditions typical of natural gas combustion…