Durable Carbon Research Articles

Superhydrophobic, Multifunctional, and Mechanically Durable Carbon Aerogel Composites for High-Performance Underwater Piezoresistive Sensing.

Carbon aerogel piezoresistive sensors (CAPSs), owing to their good thermal stability, self-constructed conductive network, and fast response to pressure, have attracted extensive attention in the field of flexible and wearable electronics in recent years. However, it is still a great challenge for CAPSs to monitor subtle deformations and achieve high-performance underwater piezoresistive sensing. Herein, a superhydrophobic and electrically conductive carbon aerogel composite (CAC) was fabricated by the combination of fluorination of carbon aerogels and decoration of fluorinated halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). Due to the exceptional light absorption and excellent photothermal conversion performance, CAC has a fast and accurate response to temperature with a high-temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of -1.06%/°C. The resistance of CAC exhibits a linear response toward compressive strain up to 80% with a high gauge factor of -1.24. Significantly, the CAC sensor can effectively detect tiny deformations, thanks to its excellent waterproof performance, and it enables stable output of sensing signals in an underwater environment. This work provides new insights into the development of superhydrophobic, multifunctional, and mechanically durable piezoresistive sensors with potential applications in underwater flexible electronics.

Plan Durable Carbon Dioxide Removal with Pinch Analysis

Plan Durable Carbon Dioxide Removal with Pinch Analysis

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF AN IMPREGNATING AGENT ON THE SORPTION CHARACTERISTICS OF A CARBON-SILICON SORBENT

Efforts to control the spread of airborne respiratory pathogens in enclosed public spaces have become particularly relevant due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the control methods is the use of bactericidal filters for ventilation air purification systems in enclosed public spaces in order to effectively remove pathogenic microorganisms from the air environment. The impregnated sorbents developed in this work are used as a filter material. The purpose of the work is investigation of the effect of an impregnating agent on the sorption characteristics of a carbon-silicon sorbent used as the basis of bactericidal filters for air purification. Methodology. It has been established that carbonation makes it possible to obtain more durable carbon sorbents with a high specific surface area. According to the results of X-ray dispersion analysis, carbonized rice husk contains 86.57% carbon and 1.75% silicon. Results and discussion. The effect of the carbonization process on the specific surface area and specific volume of the initial sorbent has been studied. The specific surface area was measured and the pore size of impregnated carbon-silicon sorbents was measured. The study of the effect of impregnating agents on the sorption characteristics of a carbon-silicon sorbent showed that an increase in the concentration of chlorhexidine and tannin in the composition leads to an increase in the specific surface area and specific pore volume of sorbents. Conclusion. It was found that the impregnation of a carbon sorbent leads to an increase in the specific surface area from 320 g/m2 to 350 g/m 2, the specific pore volume from 0.1256 cm3/g to 0.1399 cm3/g.

Biochar is a long-lived form of carbon removal, making evidence-based CDR projects possible

Science should drive policies and regulations to ensure a sustainable (environmentally, socially, and economically) green transition to a Net-Zero / Net-Negative circular economy. Since 2015, which saw COP21 in Paris, Net Zero has been a global target that must be rapidly accompanied by a Net Negative strategy to mitigate climate change. Accordingly, biochar's role as a durable carbon removal method is gaining attention and increasing. In this work, we discuss the durability of the carbon in biochar and the need for analytical techniques to support stakeholders on a project level. The different ecologically relevant groups of carbon forms contained in biochar are presented, and possible project-based methods to assess the quality and durability of the product versus the regulatory requirements for the permanence of carbon removals are summarized. Biochar is today one of the CDR technologies with the highest technology readiness level (TRL 8–9) that can ensure permanent removals for time frames relevant to climate change mitigation projects, combined with co-benefits that are gaining relevance in terms of mitigating climate impacts in agricultural soils.Graphical

3775-year-old wood burial supports "wood vaulting" as a durable carbon removal method.

Six-times more carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed each year by terrestrial photosynthesis than fossil fuel emissions. However, the carbon is mostly returned to the atmosphere by decomposition. We found a 3775-year-old ancient wood log buried 2 meters belowground that was preserved far beyond its expected lifetime. The wood had near-perfect preservation, with carbon loss less than 5% compared to a modern sample. The lack of decay is likely due to the low permeability of the compact clay soil at the burial site. Our observation suggests a hybrid nature-engineering approach for carbon removal by burying woody biomass in similar anoxic environments. We estimate a global sequestration potential of up to 10 gigatonnes CO2 per year with existing technology at a low cost of $30 to $100 per tonne after optimization.

In-situ doped and activated N, S co-doped porous carbon derived from organic salt for application in high-performance potassium-ion batteries

Owing to its abundance in nature and low cost, potassium has attracted considerable attention as a substitute for lithium in the manufacture of secondary-ion batteries. However, developing amorphous carbon materials that show fast K+ ion kinetics for application in high-performance potassium-ion battery (PIB) anodes remains challenging. In this study, we designed and synthesized a 3-D hierarchical nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon electrode via in-situ doping and activation using acesulfame potassium. Owing to its prominent structural advantages, the as-prepared N, S co-doped electrode showed a high reversible capacity (459.8 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1) and long-term cycle stability (205 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g−1). Further, the results of ex-situ Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the advantages of N and S co-doping with respect to K+ ion intercalation and adsorption/desorption properties within the carbon matrix. Therefore, our findings enhance understanding regarding the advantages of the dual-doped system with respect to K+ ion storage and highlight an efficient strategy for developing high-performance and durable carbon anode materials for PIBs.

Towards a fair, reliable, and practical verification framework for Blue Carbon-based CDR

Abstract While the (re-)establishment of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCE) is seen as an important tool to mitigate climate change, the credibility of such nature-based solutions has been marred by recent revelations ranging from weak accounting to malpractice. In light of this, there is a clear need to develop monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems towards the reliable, practical, and accurate accounting of additional and durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR). We propose the development of a Blue Carbon Ecosystem Digital Twin (BCE-DT) as a practical solution, integrating real-time data and models into What-If Scenarios of CDR aimed at the quantification of CDR additionality and durability. Critically, such a solution would be amenable to projects across a broad range in spatial scale and ecosytem type. In parallel, we propose the creation of an independent and not-for-profit Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the management of this Digital Twin and oversight of the certification process based on MRV. Considering the interwoven nature of the scientific and policy/legal needs we raise, an improved dialogue and collaboration between the scientific and policy communities is clearly needed. We argue that this BCE-DT, along with its oversight and implementation by a SDO, would fit this niche and support the fair and accurate implementation of MRV critically needed for BCE-based CDR to proceed.

Nanofiber enhanced carbon cloth based flexible Miniaturized electrodes for Real-Time and specific insulin detection in blood serum

The development of sensitive and specific biosensors for real-time insulin monitoring is crucial for advancing diabetes management and improving patient outcomes. This study reports the fabrication of flexible electrodes based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofiber-enhanced carbon cloth (CC) for the real-time, selective picomolar range of detection of insulin in blood serum. TiO2 nanofibers significantly increase the electrodes surface area and electron transfer capabilities, enhancing sensitivity and enabling rapid response times essential for real-time monitoring. The flexibility and mechanical stability of the carbon cloth substrate make it ideal for wearable and implantable biosensors, addressing limitations of conventional sensors, such as inadequate sensitivity, delayed response times, rigidity, and non-specific binding. The enhanced properties of the TiO2 nanofiber-modified carbon cloth composite facilitate the detection of low insulin concentrations, essential for early diagnosis and continuous monitoring in diabetes care. The robust TiO2 nanofibers and durable carbon cloth ensure sustained performance in complex biological environments. Chronoamperometry (CA) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques are used to examine the electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated sensor, assessing parameters like pH, electrode resistance, concentration, and scan rate. While fasting, the normal range of insulin ranges from 12 to 150 pM. This sensor detects insulin in the 7 pM to 1000 pM range, with a detection limit of 2.7 pM and a quantification limit of 8.7 pM. Portability is validated using a handheld smartphone-based potentiostat. This developed miniaturized sensor provides a selective, interference-mitigated response for insulin detection in human serum, demonstrating significant advancements in flexible electrochemical sensor technology with crucial implications for diabetes care.

Hurricanes pose a substantial risk to New England forest carbon stocks.

Nature-based climate solutions (NCS) are championed as a primary tool to mitigate climate change, especially in forested regions capable of storing and sequestering vast amounts of carbon. New England is one of the most heavily forested regions in the United States (>75% forested by land area), and forest carbon is a significant component of climate mitigation policies. Large infrequent disturbances, such as hurricanes, are a major source of uncertainty and risk for policies relying on forest carbon for climate mitigation, especially as climate change is projected to alter the intensity and extent of hurricanes. To date, most research into disturbance impacts on forest carbon stocks has focused on fire. Here, we show that a single hurricane in the region can down between 121 and 250 MMTCO2e or 4.6%-9.4% of the total aboveground forest carbon, much greater than the carbon sequestered annually by New England's forests (16 MMTCO2e year-1). However, emissions from hurricanes are not instantaneous; it takes approximately 19 years for downed carbon to become a net emission and 100 years for 90% of the downed carbon to be emitted. Reconstructing hurricanes with the HURRECON and EXPOS models across a range of historical and projected wind speeds, we find that an 8% and 16% increase in hurricane wind speeds leads to a 10.7- and 24.8-fold increase in the extent of high-severity damaged areas (widespread tree mortality). Increased wind speed also leads to unprecedented geographical shifts in damage, both inland and northward, into heavily forested regions traditionally less affected by hurricanes. Given that a single hurricane can emit the equivalent of 10+ years of carbon sequestered by forests in New England, the status of these forests as a durable carbon sink is uncertain. Understanding the risks to forest carbon stocks from disturbances is necessary for decision-makers relying on forests as a NCS.

A sulfur-modified pore-blocking method to enhance the electrocatalytic stability of carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles.

Currently, the durability of electrode materials remains a big obstacle to the widespread adoption of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Herein thiourea and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDS) were employed as sulfur source and carbon source to modify the pristine carbon black (Ketjen black EC300 J). A highly durable carbon supported Pt nanosized catalyst with higher platinum utilization for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in PEMFCs was produced by doping elemental sulfur into carbon supports and decreasing the carbon pore sizes and volume through a successive impregnation technique. The catalyst exhibits an initial activity of 0.167 A mgPt -1 at 0.90 V and demonstrates minimal activity loss after acceleration stress test (30,000 cycles of AST). The half-wave potential loss for representative sample (Pt/S-C-3) is only 14 mV with only 21.8 % ECSA decrease, 27.5 % MA loss and 5.9 % SA loss. A sintering test at various temperature shows a minor average size increase for sulfur-doped carbon (S-C) supported one (from 2.09 to 2.52 nm). In single-cell test, the MEA sample employing the platinum catalyst on modified carbon as cathode exhibited almost negligible performance loss after 30,000 cycles of AST.

3D structure-functional design of a biomass-derived photocatalyst for antimicrobial efficacy and chemical degradation under ambient conditions.

Surface sterilization and hazardous chemical degradation under ambient conditions can provide significant benefits for public and environmental health. Materials with sterilization and chemical degradation capacity under sunlight can efficiently reduce infectious disease incidence rates and toxic chemical exposure. Utilizing renewable energy for sustainable sterilization and degradation is more desirable as it reduces the potential secondary contamination. Herein, we report functional structure design using lignin, a renewable carbon heterogeneous polymer, to synthesize a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst that degrades environmentally hazardous organic compounds rapidly. Through a hydrolysis reaction between Ti-OH and the hydroxyl groups of lignin, Ti-O-C and Ti-O-Ti bonds were established and a lignin based photocatalyst with a hollow sphere structure (Clignin@H-TiO2) was formed. The presence of a homozygous carbon modified TiO2 structure contributes to the enhanced photodegradation activity with solar light. The close hetero-interfacial contact between carbonized lignin and TiO2 further improves the photocatalytic efficiency by facilitating effective charge carrier separation. After synthesis optimization, the resulting Clignin@H-TiO2 photocatalyst exhibits excellent performance in the degradation of atenolol under solar light irradiation with 100% degradation within five minutes. Additionally, it efficiently removes approximately 50% of PFOA and kills about 90% of bacteria within three hours. The uniform distribution of lignin within the crosslinking structures ensures a durable carbon modified TiO2 framework, which remains stable after 10 cycles of usage. The robustness of the lignin-based photocatalyst enables incorporating the catalyst into diversified material formats and various usages. Coating of the photocatalyst onto device surfaces shows bacterial killing efficacy under sunlight. The photocatalysts based on lignin valorization present a green chemistry approach for environmental remediation and surface sterilization, which has long-term environmental protection benefits, with broad applications in toxin treatment and health protection against pathogen infection.

Effect of Polybenzimidazole Coating on Acetylene Black for Durability of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell

One of the difficulties to retain Pt interfacial structure during PEMFC operation is arose from the high activity and large surface energy of the Pt nanoparticle, which facilitate i) Ostwald ripening, where the Pt particle size increases by a dissolution-redeposition process upon redox cycling and ii) agglomeration of Pt nanoparticles by sintering. These phenomena lead to the loss of Pt interfacial area and deteriorate the PEMFC performance. In addition, stability of carbon supports used as an electron conductive Pt supporting material is also essential to improve Pt stability since carbon corrosion catalyzed by Pt also takes place at a high potential (mainly over 1.0 V), which triggers the detachment of Pt and subsequent agglomeration. Thus, the use of durable carbon supports against the oxidation is crucial to increase the PEMFC durability. Since it is known that sp2 carbons are more thermodynamically stable than sp3 carbons upon oxidation, the use of highly graphitized carbons such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been investigated to employ and it is proved that the use of such carbons mitigates the Pt agglomeration and thus enhance the PEMFC durability. However, an absence of the anchoring sites for Pt deposition on such graphitized carbon surface such as -OH and -COOH connected on sp3 carbons make the uniform deposition of Pt nanoparticles rather difficult. And it is pointed out that the weak interaction between the graphitized carbon surface and Pt nanoparticles often induces the sintering of Pt particles and, therefore the improvement of the Pt‒carbon interfacial strength will further improve the Pt stability. Although, general strategy to introduce anchoring sites for the highly graphitized carbons is to oxidize the surface by harsh chemical or physical treatments, such oxidation always involved the introduction of the sp3 sites and resulted in the decrease of the durability of carbon supports. We have developed smart method to introduce anchoring sites without creating sp3 carbons on the highly graphitized carbon surface, where the carbons are coated by polymer having anchoring sites for metal ions. In this method, polymer such as polybenzimidazole (PBI) is coated on the pristine (non-oxidized) carbons and can act as the anchoring site for the Pt deposition. Therefore, Pt can be deposited onto the surface of highly graphitized carbon such as CNTs without oxidizing the CNTs. Indeed, we reported that PEMFC having PBI-coated CNT as a carbon support showed excellent durability upon fuel cell accelerated durability test (ADT) between 1.0 ‒ 1.5 V. In that research, oxidized-CNT was used as a comparison since direct Pt deposition onto the pristine CNT was rather difficult and, in addition, we used the ADT protocol designed to degrade the carbon (1.0 – 1.5 V). Thus, we successfully demonstrated the advantage of the PBI coating to preserve inherent carbon durability but the effect of the PBI coating for the Pt stability was not investigated. We also demonstrated that the PBI-coating on Vulcan could enhance the durability of Vulcan-based PEMFC. However, in that research, PBI coating improved Vulcan stability mainly because the coverage of micropore of Vulcan decelerated the oxidation of the carbon surface during the ADT between 1.0 ‒ 1.5 V. Therefore, the effect of PBI coating for the stability of Pt particles was not observed. In this study, to clarify the effect of PBI coating for Pt stability and PEMFC durability, ADT between 0.6 ‒ 1.0 V designed to study Pt stability was applied for the PEMFC having PBI-coated carbons as a carbon support. Here, Acetylene Black (AB) was chosen as the carbon support since 1) AB shows high electrochemical stability due to their high crystallinity and Pt sintering triggered by the carbon corrosion during the ADT can be avoided and 2) direct Pt deposition on AB was possible and no oxidation pretreatment is necessary for the reference samples. As the result, we found that MEA employing PBI-coated AB shows only 8% decrease in the maximum power density, while MEA containing non-coated AB shows 34% decrease after the ADT. Structural analysis of the electrocatalysts after the ADT reveals that the PBI anchors both Pt nanoparticle and ionomer upon ADT and maintains their interfacial structure. We conclude that the polymer-coating method is promising both for the improvement of the durability and the activity of the PEMFC.

New Highly Graphitized N-Doped Carbon as a Robust Support for Pt Electrocatalysts

For polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the state-of-the-art electrocatalysts are based on Pt group metals deposited over electroconductive porous carbon support. However, current carbon supports suffer from carbon corrosion during repeated start-stop operations, causing performance degradation. We report a new strategy to produce highly graphitized porous carbon with controllable N-doping that uses low-temperature synthesis (650 ℃) from g-C3N4 carbon-nitrogen precursor with pyrolysis using Mg. The high graphiticity is confirmed by high-intensity 2D Raman peak with low ID/IG (0.57), pronounced graphitic XRD planes, and excellent conductivity. Without further post-treatment, this highly graphitized N-doped porous carbon (GNPC) material combines high pyrrolic-N content with high porosity. Supporting Pt on GNPC exhibits excellent oxygen reduction activity for PEMFC with greatly improved durability as proved by real-time loss measurements of Pt and carbon, the first to surpass the DOE 2025 durability targets for both catalyst and support. The Pt/GNPC prepared at 650 oC shows 32 and 24% drop in mass activity after accelerated durability tests of both electrocatalyst and support, respectively, which are less than DOE target of 40% loss. The atomistic basis for this durability is explained via quantum mechanics-based molecular dynamics simulations. Interestingly, it is found that pyrrolic-N strongly interacts with Pt, making the Pt catalyst more stable during fuel cell reaction. We expect that high porosity robust graphitized materials will lead to many other novel applications for electrocatalysis with durable carbon frameworks.

Novel high-entropy perovskite-type symmetrical electrode for efficient and durable carbon dioxide reduction reaction

Novel high-entropy perovskite-type symmetrical electrode for efficient and durable carbon dioxide reduction reaction

Aligning incentives for carbon dioxide removal

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) at the scale needed to meet key climate goals will require the development of a massive industry. The development of regulatory architecture and effective incentive structures must proceed in parallel if this industry is to function in a way that is technically rigorous, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible. Most of the current capital flow, overall technological development in CDR, and third-party monitoring and verification are occurring in the private sector. We argue here that this will need to change in order for robust, responsible carbon removal to be brought to scale. In the short term, a focus on removing flawed incentive structures will be a critical ingredient in the transition to a stable, large-scale marketplace for durable carbon removal.

Novel solution plasma synthesis of highly durable carbon shell encapsulated platinum-based cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Developing an effective method for synthesizing high-performance and durable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction is of great importance for cost reduction and the wide application of fuel cells. This study presents a simple and effective strategy using a plasma reaction in the liquid phase to synthesize carbon-shell-encapsulated Pt and PtFe catalysts. A carbon-shell-encapsulated PtFe catalyst alloyed with up to 29 at.% Fe exhibits a mass activity of 730 mA·mgpt−1 and a specific activity of 1772 μA cm−1, which are 2.4 and 5 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C, respectively. The carbon shell effectively maintained the low oxidation state of Pt by suppressing the formation of Pt–OH and significantly improved the durability of the catalyst in accelerated durability tests, increasing the gap in mass activity with Pt/C by a factor of up to six after 50,000 cycles. In addition, the decrease in the electrochemical surface area by the carbon shell enabled a more stable 4-electron reaction over a wide potential range. This study may provide fascinating insights into the effect of the carbon shell contributing to the improvement of the catalytic activity and durability of fuel cells as well as the novel plasma-based synthesis strategy of core-shell catalyst.

Preferential Pyrolysis Construction of Carbon Anodes with 8400 h Lifespan for High-Energy-Density K-ion Batteries.

Carbonaceous materials are promising anodes for practical potassium-ion batteries, but fail to meet the requirements for durability and high capacities at low potentials. Herein, we constructed a durable carbon anode for high-energy-density K-ion full cells by a preferential pyrolysis strategy. Utilizing S and N volatilization from a π-π stacked supermolecule, the preferential pyrolysis process introduces low-potential active sites of sp2 hybridized carbon and carbon vacancies, endowing a low-potential "vacancy-adsorption/intercalation" mechanism. The as-prepared carbon anode exhibits a high capacity of 384.2 mAh g-1 (90 % capacity locates below 1 V vs. K/K+ ), which contributes to a high energy density of 163 Wh kg-1 of K-ion full battery. Moreover, abundant vacancies of carbon alleviate volume variation, boosting the cycling stability over 14 000 cycles (8400 h). Our work provides a new synthesis approach for durable carbon anodes of K-ion full cells with high energy densities.

Preferential Pyrolysis Construction of Carbon Anodes with 8400 h Lifespan for High‐Energy‐Density K‐ion Batteries

AbstractCarbonaceous materials are promising anodes for practical potassium‐ion batteries, but fail to meet the requirements for durability and high capacities at low potentials. Herein, we constructed a durable carbon anode for high‐energy‐density K‐ion full cells by a preferential pyrolysis strategy. Utilizing S and N volatilization from a π–π stacked supermolecule, the preferential pyrolysis process introduces low‐potential active sites of sp2 hybridized carbon and carbon vacancies, endowing a low‐potential “vacancy‐adsorption/intercalation” mechanism. The as‐prepared carbon anode exhibits a high capacity of 384.2 mAh g−1 (90 % capacity locates below 1 V vs. K/K+), which contributes to a high energy density of 163 Wh kg−1 of K‐ion full battery. Moreover, abundant vacancies of carbon alleviate volume variation, boosting the cycling stability over 14 000 cycles (8400 h). Our work provides a new synthesis approach for durable carbon anodes of K‐ion full cells with high energy densities.

Electrolytic Sulfuric Acid Production with Carbon Mineralization for Permanent Carbon Dioxide Removal.

Several billion metric tons per year of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be needed by mid-century to prevent catastrophic climate warming, and many new approaches must be rapidly scaled to ensure this target is met. Geologically permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in carbonate minerals-carbon mineralization-requires two moles of alkalinity and one mole of a CO2-reactive metal such as calcium or magnesium per mole of CO2 captured. Chemical weathering of geological materials can supply both ingredients, but weathering reactions must be accelerated to achieve targets for durable CDR. Here, a scalable CDR and mineralization process is reported in which water electrolysis is used to produce sulfuric acid for accelerated weathering, while a base is used to permanently sequester CO2 from air into carbonate minerals. The process can be integrated into existing extractive processes by reacting produced sulfuric acid with critical element feedstocks that neutralize acidity (e.g., rock phosphorus or ultramafic rock mine tailings), with calcium- and magnesium-bearing sulfate wastes electrolytically upcycled. The highest reported efficiency of electrolytic sulfuric acid production is achieved by maintaining catholyte feed conditions that minimize Faradaic losses by hydroxide permeation of the membrane-separated electrochemical cell. The industrial implementation of this process provides a pathway to gigaton-scale CO2 removal and sequestration during the production of critical elements needed for decarbonizing global energy infrastructure and feeding the world.

Integrated techno-economic and life cycle assessment of a novel algae-based coating for direct air carbon capture and sequestration

Direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) systems are expected to play an important role in fighting global warming. While existing DACCS technologies have demonstrated CO2 removal rates at or below the kiloton scale, high capital costs and significant energy demands represent hurdles in achieving large scale deployment. This study evaluates a novel biomimetic coating primarily consisting of a hydrogel seeded with microalgae biomass printed on a polyethylene substrate. The coating has been developed to exploit the high photosynthetic rates of microalgae to fix atmospheric CO2 into cellulose using incident solar energy. The carbon embodied in the cellulose material is converted to biochar through pyrolysis to ensure durable carbon sequestration without the need for underground storage. The proposed system offers many advantages including modularity and scalability, the potential for high water retention rates, and long periods of operation with minimal maintenance and management. Three scenarios were evaluated using conservative, baseline, and optimistic assumptions to capture the true range in performance of the system. Results from the modeling work show a carbon removal efficiency ranging from 51% to 73% and carbon capture and sequestration costs of $702–$1585 per tonne CO2 sequestered. Furthermore, the modular design of the coated substrate system and utilization of solar energy supports the rapid upscaling necessary to meet mid-century carbon removal goals. Discussion focuses on the key performance drivers of the system and the challenges and feasibility of meeting target metrics to support economic and environmental sustainability.