Twente researchers develop clay-based CO₂ capture for biogas

Researchers at the University of Twente have developed a method to remove carbon dioxide from biogas using a specialised clay material, leading to the creation of spin-off company CarbSorbTec.
Biogas typically contains around 60 per cent methane and 40 per cent CO₂. By selectively capturing the carbon dioxide, the remaining methane can be upgraded to biomethane.
The technology is low-cost and energy-efficient, making it suitable for smaller-scale applications such as farms or wastewater treatment facilities.
Professor Frieder Mugele, chair of Physics of Complex Fluids, explained that the clay’s layered structure can be adjusted through ion exchange to allow CO₂ molecules to attach, while methane passes through.
PhD candidate Niels Mendel and colleagues Igor Siretanu and Wim Brilman demonstrated the material’s effectiveness and reusability in laboratory trials.
Pilot tests are planned for late 2025 at a farm and a wastewater plant, with potential for global deployment. CarbSorbTec has filed a patent to protect the innovation, supported by Novel-T, the university’s technology transfer office.
The research team is also exploring broader applications, including using CO₂ as a feedstock for new chemical processes, aiming to transform the gas from a waste product into a resource.