Maryam Abdinejad

Project title

Electrochemical Direct Air Capture for Sustainable Carbon Neutrality (eDACsustain)

What is your project about?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere are now higher than at any point in human history, creating an urgent need for technologies that can remove CO2 directly from the air. My project focuses on electrochemical direct air capture (e-DAC). I will develop highly oxygen-stable redox-active molecules that selectively capture and release CO2 through electrochemical switching, enabling carbon capture with substantially lower energy demand than conventional technologies. By establishing the molecular design principles that govern CO2 binding, stability, and performance, the project aims to advance more sustainable and scalable carbon removal technologies. In the longer term, my vision is to integrate CO2 capture with electrochemical conversion, enabling atmospheric CO2 to be transformed into valuable products using renewable energy.

How did you become interested in your particular field of research?

My interest in this field began with a fascination for how chemistry can be used to address some of society's most pressing challenges. During my graduate studies and early research career, I worked on molecular and materials-based systems that convert CO2 into valuable products using renewable electricity. While this research showed how carbon dioxide can be transformed into useful chemicals and fuels, it also made me ask a simple question: why not capture CO2 directly from the air and then convert it into valuable products? This question led me to direct air capture. Unlike concentrated CO2 streams, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere exists at very low concentrations, making it much more difficult to capture. I became fascinated by this challenge and by the opportunity to develop new electrochemical technologies that can help remove CO2 from the atmosphere in a more sustainable and energy-efficient way.

What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?

Although electrochemical redox-active compounds offer a promising alternative to thermally driven carbon capture technologies, achieving efficient and stable CO2 capture in aqueous media remains a major challenge due to limited oxygen stability, low solubility, and insufficient CO2 capture capacity. Furthermore, the fundamental mechanisms underlying this process are not yet fully understood. In this project, I will develop highly oxygen-stable redox-active molecules and investigate how their molecular structure influences CO₂ capture performance. By combining experiments with advanced spectroscopy and computational modelling, I aim to establish the fundamental design principles needed to enable efficient, scalable, and energy-efficient electrochemical carbon capture technologies.

What is your estimate of the impact, which your project may have to society in the long term?

This research can contribute to making carbon removal more energy-efficient, affordable, and scalable. By developing electrochemical approaches powered by renewable electricity, this project aims to reduce the energy demand associated with carbon capture and support the large-scale deployment of carbon removal technologies. Beyond carbon removal, the knowledge generated through this project can help enable future technologies that use captured CO2 as a resource for producing chemicals, fuels, and materials. The molecular design principles established in this work may also benefit related fields that rely on redox-active materials, including flow battery technologies, electrochemical manufacturing, and gas separation processes. More broadly, the project contributes to the development of technologies that can help accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral society.

Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?

This prestigious grant marks a pivotal moment in my career. It provides the resources and independence to establish my own research group at DTU Energy and pursue scientific questions that I have been developing throughout my research journey across multiple countries and institutions.It allows me to build a dedicated team, pursue ambitious research ideas, generate the fundamental knowledge needed to advance electrochemical direct air capture, and establish the experimental infrastructure required for this work. It also provides a unique opportunity to strengthen electrochemical direct air capture as a distinct research direction in Denmark. Beyond the resources, it represents recognition of the scientific potential and relevance of this research and provides a strong foundation for my continued development as an independent researcher, mentor, and leader of future scientific talent.