South SFV Today

Stanford University chemists have unveiled a new method to capture and sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide using common minerals. This process, which could potentially mitigate global warming, was detailed in a study published on February 19 in Nature.

The research team, led by Professor Matthew Kanan from Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences, developed a technique that accelerates the natural weathering process of silicate minerals. "The Earth has an inexhaustible supply of minerals that are capable of removing CO2 from the atmosphere," said Kanan. However, these reactions typically take centuries to millennia to complete naturally.

To address this challenge, Kanan and postdoctoral scholar Yuxuan Chen created a process that converts slow-weathering silicates into reactive materials capable of quickly capturing carbon dioxide. Their work is supported by the Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Chen explained their approach: “We envisioned a new chemistry to activate the inert silicate minerals through a simple ion-exchange reaction.” The researchers discovered that their method works effectively and requires less energy than existing direct air capture technologies.

Inspired by traditional cement-making techniques, the team used kilns to transform calcium oxide and magnesium silicate into reactive minerals that absorb CO2 rapidly. "The process acts as a multiplier," noted Kanan.

Testing revealed that these materials could convert atmospheric CO2 into stable carbonate minerals within weeks or months—a significant improvement over natural weathering timescales. The researchers are now working on scaling up their findings for industrial applications.

Kanan suggested potential uses for this technology beyond laboratory settings: “You can imagine spreading magnesium oxide and calcium silicate over large land areas to remove CO2 from ambient air.” He also mentioned agricultural applications where these materials could enhance soil quality while capturing carbon.

Scaling up production remains a challenge; however, abundant resources such as olivine or serpentine tailings from mining operations could provide necessary raw materials. Chen highlighted this potential: “Each year, more than 400 million tons of mine tailings with suitable silicates are generated worldwide.”

Efforts are underway to develop electric-powered kilns in collaboration with Jonathan Fan from Stanford's School of Engineering. This advancement aims to further reduce emissions associated with the production process.

This research received support from several institutions including the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and National Science Foundation. Media inquiries can be directed to Matthew Kanan or Mark Golden at Stanford University.