Hanwha Solutions to Independently Develop 'Carbon Molecular Sieve' Previously Fully Imported from Japan

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hanwha Solutions announced on the 9th that it will develop a Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) capable of selectively extracting desired gas molecules such as carbon dioxide from industrial gases.

This project is part of the government's Carbon Industry Infrastructure Development Project, led by Hanwha Solutions, with participation from the Korea Carbon Industry Promotion Agency, Chungnam National University, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, and Eco Convergence Textile Research Institute. The pilot project is scheduled to be completed by 2025. The company signed an agreement with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology for this project. A total of 6.8 billion KRW will be invested in the project.

The project is significant for the localization of materials needed to respond to climate change. The high-efficiency carbon molecular sieve, currently entirely imported from Japan, is a black pellet-shaped material mainly used to adsorb and separate carbon dioxide from industrial gases generated in manufacturing processes such as steel production. The company explained that it is a core material necessary for the 2050 carbon neutrality policy as it can improve the efficiency of carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies.

Depending on surface characteristics, it can extract desired molecules, making it applicable to water electrolysis technology for producing high-purity hydrogen from water and to converting biogas generated from waste into fuel energy. Son In-wan, head of Hanwha Solutions' Future Technology Research Center, said, "Through the localization of materials, we will contribute to the development of the domestic materials industry and actively utilize eco-friendly technologies to respond to climate change."