Nigerian researcher, Victor Eke, explains breakthrough work in carbon capture technology

Canada-based Nigerian researcher, Victor Eke, has outlined the progress and impact of his doctoral research, detailing how his work is advancing scientific understanding in carbon capture and contributing to the global push for energy-efficient climate solutions.

Victor, who is currently pursuing a PhD in Canada, said his research is firmly focused on improving the reliability and performance of Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems, a technology widely regarded as critical to achieving long-term climate and clean energy targets.

He disclosed that by December 2026, he will complete the 60 credit hours required for the coursework stage of his PhD programme, marking a major academic milestone. Alongside this, he has already completed one independent research study and is currently developing a second, both of which will form core components of his dissertation.

According to Victor, his first completed study, titled Advancing CO₂ Breakthrough Experiments and Proper Determination of Regeneration Efficiency, addresses long-standing methodological flaws in how CO₂ desorption is measured in low-temperature DAC systems.

He explained that many existing studies tend to overestimate regeneration efficiency due to system delays, poor blank corrections, and incomplete desorption profile analysis. These issues, he noted, can lead to misleading conclusions about the true performance of carbon capture systems.

To solve this problem, Victor developed a clearer and more rigorous experimental approach that uses point-by-point subtraction of blank runs combined with well-defined breakthrough analysis. This method significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of CO₂ regeneration data.

He stressed that the implications of this work are substantial, as accurate regeneration measurements are essential for designing DAC systems that genuinely meet energy efficiency and climate performance targets, rather than appearing effective only on paper.

Victor added that by strengthening the scientific foundation behind regeneration efficiency measurements, his research supports the scaling of energy-efficient carbon removal technologies across North America, Canada the United States.

Building on this foundation, his second ongoing research, titled Review of Electrothermal Regeneration of 3D Adsorbents for CO₂ Capture, explores electrically driven desorption as a promising alternative to conventional thermal regeneration methods.

The study critically examines experimental results from a range of emerging technologies, including thin-film heaters, carbon monoliths, patterned conductive layers, and 3D-printed adsorbent architectures designed for improved CO₂ capture performance.

Victor said the review identifies the materials, geometries, and heating strategies that enable rapid, localised heating while preserving high adsorption capacity, a balance that remains a major challenge in DAC system design.

The outcome of the work, he noted, is a practical design roadmap for next-generation electrothermal swing adsorption (ESA) systems capable of lowering regeneration energy, reducing cycle times, and improving long-term system durability.

He emphasised that these improvements are directly aligned with US clean energy and climate goals, particularly efforts to deploy scalable and cost-effective carbon removal technologies.

Victor concluded that his research progress reflects a consistent commitment to advancing scientific knowledge in carbon capture, while supporting the broader objective of developing reliable, energy-efficient DAC systems that can play a meaningful role in addressing climate change at a national and global level.