{"id":19116,"date":"2026-07-02T13:56:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeolife.gr\/zeolites-and-co%e2%82%82-capture-the-sponge-like-mineral-that-mazda-uses-to-clean-exhaust-fumes\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T13:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T10:00:07","slug":"zeolites-and-co%e2%82%82-capture-the-sponge-like-mineral-that-mazda-uses-to-clean-exhaust-fumes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeolife.gr\/en\/zeolites-and-co%e2%82%82-capture-the-sponge-like-mineral-that-mazda-uses-to-clean-exhaust-fumes\/","title":{"rendered":"Zeolites and CO\u2082 capture: the \u2018sponge-like\u2019 mineral that Mazda uses to clean exhaust fumes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A car that, the more it drives, the less<\/em> carbon dioxide it leaves behind. It sounds like a contradiction \u2014 and yet, Mazda has just proven it under real racing conditions. At the heart of this technology lies neither an exotic catalytic converter nor an expensive battery, but a humble, porous mineral that we at Zeolife.gr<\/span><\/a> know very well: zeolite.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at exactly what Mazda has achieved, and, above all, why<\/em> zeolite is the material that makes \u2018carbon capture on the move\u2019 possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mazda\u2019s achievement: 804 grams of CO\u2082 during a 24-hour race<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the Fuji 24-hour endurance race, part of the Japanese Super Taikyu series (5\u20137 June 2026), Mazda fitted a racing car \u2014 the MAZDA SPIRIT RACING 3 Future Concept<\/strong> \u2014 with an experimental system called Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture<\/strong>. Its aim: to \u2018suck\u2019 some of the carbon dioxide directly from the exhaust gases whilst the car is in motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result was the capture of 804 grams of CO\u2082<\/strong> over the course of the race \u2014 approximately 9.6 times more<\/strong> than the first test in November 2025, which had captured 84 grams. In fact, it was the first time the company had completed the entire cycle within the vehicle: capture \u2192 release \u2192 compression \u2192 storage<\/strong>. The racing car ran on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), a carbon-neutral fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mazda states that, under certain conditions, the combination of carbon-neutral fuel and emissions offsetting temporarily exceeded the threshold that would make a vehicle \u2018carbon negative\u2019 \u2014 that is, one that absorbs more CO\u2082 than it emits. The ultimate goal is to implement this in production models by 2035<\/strong>. And the key to all this is the material that fills the system\u2019s \u2018lung\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How zeolite traps carbon dioxide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

zeolite<\/a> is a natural clay-silicate mineral with an impressive property: its structure consists of countless microscopic holes, channels and cavities at the molecular level. This gives it an enormous internal surface area \u2014 a single gramme can have an internal surface area of several hundred<\/em> square metres. That is why we often describe it as a \u2018molecular sponge\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Mazda system, the process consists of three stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Adsorption.<\/strong> The exhaust gases pass through a vessel filled with zeolite. As the gas diffuses into the pores, the CO\u2082 molecules \u2018stick\u2019 to the mineral\u2019s vast internal surface and are trapped. Important: before reaching this stage, the exhaust gas passes through a separator that removes moisture<\/strong>, as water competes with CO\u2082 for the same sites on the zeolite.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Desorption.<\/strong> When the zeolite becomes saturated, it is heated \u2014 and here\u2019s the clever bit: Mazda uses the heat from the exhaust gases themselves<\/strong>. zeolite has the property of releasing the trapped CO\u2082 as soon as it is heated, without requiring any additional energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Compression & storage.<\/strong> The released, now purified CO\u2082 is compressed by an electric compressor and stored in a tank inside the vehicle.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Because adsorption and desorption cannot take place simultaneously in the same material, the demonstration system used two units operating in turn: whilst one \u2018absorbs\u2019, the other \u2018releases\u2019. It is precisely this ability of zeolite to be loaded and reused<\/strong> time and time again that makes the solution sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Zeolites<\/a>
    Zeolites and CO\u2082 capture: the \u2018sponge-like\u2019 mineral that Mazda uses to clean exhaust fumes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Why zeolite is the ideal material for the job<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It is no coincidence that the automotive industry has turned to a mineral that has been known for centuries. The properties that make zeolite unique are precisely those required for gas capture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n