👋 Hello! We are WarmOFF, an innovative science-related project based in Bucharest, Romania, dedicated to pioneering a new era of environmental technologies.  We are driven by our objective to develop an efficient, scalable, dependable, and economically viable carbon dioxide removal technology in the face of the pressing global climate issue. Your contribution will not only help our initiative succeed, but it will also play an important role in developing a healthier and more resilient planet for future generations.

WarmOFF Mission Video

Here are some of the greatest minds reflecting on climate change:

“Climate change is a terrible problem, and it absolutely needs to be solved. It deserves to be a huge priority.”

- Bill Gates

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”

- Benjamin Franklin

🎯What is Direct Air Capture (DAC)?

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a novel technology that addresses climate change by directly absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. CO2 is absorbed by chemical reactions or materials, then separated and concentrated for storage or usage. While DAC has the potential to provide benefits by focusing on emissions from sources that are difficult to control directly, issues such as energy intensity, cost, and scalability must be addressed. As an additional tool in the fight against climate change, DAC could help to reduce CO2 levels; nevertheless, its practical viability and impact require further research, regulatory backing, and careful evaluation of environmental implications.

🎯What we do?

Here, at WarmOFF, we are focused on developing direct air capture systems. For a long time, the progress in this area was unable to match the needs of our planet and so, we want to develop an efficient, scalable, reliable, and economically viable system. We want to do this by combining scientific research papers that are already published, with our collective knowledge for further improvements. At first, we will mainly focus on electrochemical processes because we see a lot of value there.

The process that we mainly focus on: using electrochemistry for applications of CO2 capture (CO2 capture using quinones as active material). We think that this process offers multiple advantages compared to other traditional types of processes that involve pressure or temperature swings, and so we want to research applications for this process.

🎯What do we want to obtain?

Our focus will be on testing and improving different types of carbon capture systems. Our main objective is to develop a carbon dioxide removal technology that fits the needs of our time. This means that our system should be energy efficient, scalable, and reliable. The electro-swing capture system should offer these advantages compared to the traditional methods. Our final goal would be to create an open-source IP for everybody to see, test and further improve.

📈Progress since Gitcoin Beta Round:

• We developed the system for testing the electrochemical properties of the electrodes used in CO2 capture. The setup included three electrodes (working, reference, and counter), the electrolyte, periodic injection of carbon dioxide, and an electrochemical workstation. This comprehensive analysis allowed us to understand the electrode's efficiency, stability, and applicability in various fields.

• We analyzed multiple types of electrodes using the cyclic voltammetry method. This method involved subjecting the electrode to cyclic voltage scans while analyzing the current response. Through cyclic voltammetry, we examined the electrode's behavior under different environmental conditions. By comparing the results from these gas-exposed samples, we gained valuable insights into the electrode's response to different gas environments. This analysis provided essential data for understanding its reactivity, selectivity, and potential suitability for applications in carbon capture.

• We tested these electrodes in 2 different conditions: under carbon dioxide and under nitrogen

• Current and potential peaks were detected, and their consistency with existing literature corroborated the accuracy of our data. This alignment confirms its promise as a suitable material for carbon capture applications.

• We published a 120+ pages paper on our website that explains in detail how this carbon capture technology could be integrated into different types of use cases that not only help solve the climate change problem but fulfill different other needs. Sadly, the paper is available in Romanian only at this time but we are working on releasing the English version as soon as possible.

📙Lessons learned from our previous work

The main issue that we faced was that the substrate used in the development of the electrode reacted with the electrolyte and made it unworkable after 10 cycles of capture-release. This unexpected reaction resulted in a significant reduction in the electrode's performance and compromised its overall stability. Identifying and addressing such challenges is crucial to ensure the successful implementation of the electrode in practical applications. We are currently investigating alternative substrate materials to overcome this limitation and enhance the electrode's durability and long-term functionality.

💸FUNDRAISING GOALS FOR GG18

We identified 4 areas that need to be addressed:

Electrode stability: The stability of the electrode needs to be improved because, after a few hours of soaking in the electrolyte, the film deposited on the paper came off (probably together with layers of cellulose/carbon from the cellulose). Changing the cellulose layer to something more stable may be a solution.

Reproducibility of the results: The reproducibility of these results should be studied further as well as a deeper comparison between the AQ/MWCNTs/Cellulose electrodes and the other electrodes, followed by the narrowing of the potential window, which may lead to the appearance of new peaks or the intensification of others, depending on the new applied conditions.

Quantification of CO2 captured and released: Methods that allow the quantification of carbon dioxide such as chronoamperometry must be used further. The calibration of these methods can allow the quantification of captured/released carbon dioxide.

Improving the coating method: The reproducibility of the substrate coating method must be studied, and if necessary improved, because these layers considerably influence the intensity of the oxidation and reduction peaks, and therefore also the amount of capture/release of carbon dioxide.

Our goal for Gitcoin Grants 18 would be to raise around $10.000. We’ll use the money to address different aspects of the 4 areas we identified. Around 50% will go toward buying the reagents used for producing the carbon capture composite. Also, a considerable part of this money will go towards developing an air-tight system that will help us quantify the CO2 that was captured and released. This system will be “custom made” so we will have to also buy some of the lab equipment that we’ll use to quantify the CO2. Since the Gitcoin Beta Round results were delayed we still have around 50% (around $5.000) of the money we raised so far so the total $15.000 should be enough to develop a small-scale carbon capture system that has the capacity of at least 75% of the ideal value over multiple cycles.

📖To learn more:

Visit our website: WarmOFF

Visit our Twitter page: @Warm_Off