KAIST Removes Atmospheric Carbon with Battery Technology: "Recognized Worldwide"

A domestic research team has developed a type of "air cleaning technology" that directly captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Inspired by methods used in electric vehicle battery manufacturing, this technology is drawing attention as a catalyst that could accelerate the commercialization of carbon removal technologies by overcoming the limitations of high cost and low efficiency seen in existing solutions.

(from the top left) Professor Kodongyoun, Master’s student Juyoun Kang, Integrated Master-Doctoral student Junsung Kim, Doctoral student Inhwan Park, Doctoral student Injun Park, Dr. Karoline Hebisch, Doctoral student Sieun Kim, Doctoral student Minhyung Lee. KAIST

KAIST announced on April 24 that the "Direct Air Capture (DAC)" technology developed by Professor Kodongyoun’s research team in the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering was selected as one of the world’s top four teams in the "2026 Carbon Removal Challenge" hosted by OpenAir.

OpenAir is a global non-profit organization that supports the spread of carbon removal technologies. The challenge it hosts is regarded as a global competition that evaluates the practicality and scalability of next-generation carbon removal technologies.

This year, over 40 teams from more than 30 universities around the world participated in the challenge. Of these, the four teams selected as finalists are KAIST, the University of Michigan, Rutgers University, and a joint team from Cornell, Princeton, and Columbia.

The direct air capture technology showcased by Professor Ko’s team at the challenge is significant in that it solves the high-cost and low-efficiency issues of existing technologies by drawing inspiration from electric vehicle battery manufacturing processes.

Direct air capture technology has previously been recognized as an innovative method to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, high costs and low efficiency have hindered its commercialization in reality.

To address this, Professor Ko’s research team applied the "dry process" used in battery electrode manufacturing to direct air capture technology. This method does not use liquids but instead compresses the powder into a solid film. It allows the material that absorbs carbon to be densely packed, enabling much more carbon dioxide to be captured at once.

Through this approach, the team succeeded in increasing the content of carbon adsorbent material up to 97 wt% (weight percent—the proportion of a specific component in the total weight), thereby creating a structure capable of capturing significantly more carbon dioxide than before. The principle is similar to how a denser sponge absorbs more water. In essence, a technology originally designed to enhance electric vehicle battery efficiency has now been transformed into one that helps clean the planet.

Film-type adsorbent fabrication process through dry process without solvent. KAIST

Professor Ko’s team also enhanced performance in the "regeneration process," which separates the captured carbon for reuse. By introducing Joule heating, a method that generates immediate heat internally when electricity is supplied, they were able to quickly release the absorbed carbon dioxide.

This method works like a toaster that heats up instantly when powered, enabling the rapid release and reuse of carbon dioxide in just one minute. By integrating an electric vehicle cooling system, the time required to cool down the heat was reduced by 60%, which, according to the research team, greatly improved the overall process speed and productivity.

Professor Ko stated, "This achievement demonstrates both the innovativeness and practical applicability of carbon capture technology," adding, "We plan to actively pursue commercialization and global expansion of the technology through international cooperation in the future."

This research was led by doctoral candidate Injun Park at KAIST, with participation from Sieun Kim, Junsung Kim, Inhwan Park, Minhyung Lee, Juyoun Kang, Dr. Karoline L. Hebisch, and Dr. Moojin Cheon.

Professor Ko’s research team has also been invited to introduce the technology to global experts and investors at the "Carbon Unbound 2026" global conference, which will take place in New York, USA, on May 20.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.