Researchers at Northwestern University have expanded the potential of carbon capture technology that plucks CO₂ directly from the air by demonstrating that there are multiple suitable and abundant materials that can facilitate direct air capture.

In a paper titled “Platform materials for moisture-swing carbon capture” published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the researchers present new, lower-cost materials to facilitate moisture-swing to catch and then release CO₂ depending on the local air’s moisture content, calling it “one of the most promising approaches for CO₂ capture.”

Atmospheric CO₂ continues to increase and, despite considerable worldwide efforts to cut down on carbon waste, is expected to rise more in coming decades.