In a breakthrough that blends sustainability with innovation, researchers from Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar have demonstrated how an everyday waste material like cow dung can be transformed into a powerful tool for carbon capture. Their study, published in Surfaces and Interfaces, introduces a novel nitrogen doped porous carbon designed to efficiently trap carbon dioxide emissions.

As the world grapples with the escalating crisis of Climate Change, reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide has become a top priority. Traditional carbon capture materials often involve toxic chemicals and energy intensive processes. Challenging this norm, the IIT Gandhinagar team has proposed an eco friendly alternative rooted in green chemistry and waste valorisation.

The researchers developed a material known as NDPC 1, a nitrogen doped porous carbon derived from cow dung. By combining cow dung with melamine as a nitrogen source and potassium bicarbonate as a green activating agent, the team engineered a material with a remarkable surface area of 1153 square meters per gram. This structure enables it to trap carbon dioxide efficiently.

What makes this innovation particularly compelling is its performance. NDPC 1 demonstrated a 58 percent improvement in carbon capture compared to untreated carbon derived directly from cow dung. It also maintained strong performance across multiple adsorption and desorption cycles, highlighting its durability and suitability for real world applications.

Unlike many existing materials that require high temperatures ranging from 400 to 700 degrees Celsius, NDPC 1 performs effectively at near ambient conditions around 30 degrees Celsius. This significantly reduces energy requirements, making the process more practical and scalable.

The research also integrates advanced computational modelling techniques to better understand how nitrogen incorporation and pore structure influence carbon adsorption. This dual approach of experiments and simulations provides deeper insights into designing next generation materials for environmental remediation.

Beyond its technical merits, the innovation aligns with global and national climate goals. It supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action and contributes to India’s ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

By turning an abundant and inexpensive biomass resource into a high value functional material, this study opens new pathways for affordable and scalable carbon capture technologies. It raises an intriguing question for the future can solutions to global challenges lie in the most overlooked resources around us

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