Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)

Material characterization is critical to optimizing CCUS technologies, from sorbent development to geological storage validation. Accurate analysis of surface area, porosity, particle size, density, powder flow, catalyst activity and phase composition directly impact capture efficiency, reaction kinetics, and long-term stability. Malvern Panalytical offers a powerful combination of complementary analytical solutions that unlock precise control over material properties across the CCUS value chain. 

Our combined expertise in gas adsorption and porosimetry supports the design of high-performance capture media, such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), promising covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and membranes, while advanced X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and light scattering analysis instruments ensure optimal structural integrity and compliance with regulatory standards. Together, these systems provide actionable insights that accelerate innovation, enhance process efficiency, and support robust environmental reporting – making them indispensable for scalable, cost-effective CCUS deployment. 

By delivering the analytical confidence required for investors and developers alike, these solutions also help de risk and validate bankable CCUS projects, ensuring technologies are ready for commercial scale-up and long term operational success. By providing the performance evidence and data confidence required by developers, EPCs, and investors, these solutions help reduce technical risk, validate long-term operability, and support the development of bankable CCUS projects ready for commercial scale-up. 

Malvern Panalytical is at the forefront of innovation in materials characterization, delivering cutting edge tools that address the complex demands of adsorbent, membrane, and catalyst analysis for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

Our solutions are trusted by research laboratories, process developers, and industrial manufacturers worldwide to provide rapid, accurate insights into material performance. These insights enable teams to make informed decisions that improve capture efficiency, separation selectivity, and long-term material durability in CCUS workflows, while also delivering the data confidence required to de-risk and validate bankable projects ready for commercial deployment.

Our comprehensive portfolio of adsorption, porosimetry, and capillary flow porometry instruments provides in depth characterization of surface area, pore structure, gas sorption behavior, and membrane transport properties. This suite of tools supports material innovation across development and quality control, helping organizations optimize process efficiency, improve reliability, and reduce operating costs.

Our lineup includes the 3Flex for high resolution adsorption and micropore and mesopore analysis, the BreakThrough Analyzer (BTA) for dynamic gas separation performance under process conditions, the AutoPore V for advanced pore structure determination, and the AccuPore for through pore characterization of membranes and porous sheets. Together, these instruments offer a complete solution for understanding how porous materials and membranes behave in realistic CCUS environments.

With Malvern Panalytical, customers gain a trusted partner committed to accelerating CCUS material innovation, making it easier to meet performance targets, ensure manufacturing consistency, and deliver reliable, cost-effective carbon capture technologies.

3Flex

The 3Flex delivers high‑resolution physisorption and chemisorption data essential for developing next‑generation adsorbents.

Key capabilities include:

• Measurement of surface area, pore size, and pore volume
• Understanding process economics via isosteric heat of adsorption
• Optimization of pore size to maximize uptake capacity
• Prediction of gas mixture selectivity using Ideal Adsorption Solution Theory (IAST)

BreakThrough Analyzer (BTA)

The BTA provides precise evaluation of adsorbents and membranes during real world gas separation scenarios.

Key capabilities include:

• Performing lifetime and cycling studies to identify the most robust materials
• Evaluating kinetic performance of adsorbents
• Assessing humidity effects on CO₂/N₂ competitive adsorption

AutoPore V

AutoPore V provides unmatched insight into pore structure, critical for optimizing diffusion and adsorption behavior.

Key capabilities include:

• Detailed pore size characterization to understand mass transport
• Analysis of pore size distribution, total pore volume, percent porosity, particle size, and total surface area
• Ensuring consistency and reproducibility in adsorbent manufacturing

AccuPore

AccuPore enables accurate measurement of through pore properties essential for efficient ion and gas transport.

Key capabilities include:

• Bubble point measurement to determine the largest pore
• Through pore size distribution for membrane performance optimization
• Determination of mean flow pore and smallest pore
• Full pore size distribution analysis

3Flex

Physisorption and static/dynamic chemisorption for catalyst and support characterization.

Key capabilities include:

• Understanding the effects of multi metal catalysts on activation and adsorption of active species
• Selecting catalysts with higher turnover frequency
• Investigating the influence of heat of adsorption

AutoChem III / ChemiSorb Auto

Dynamic chemisorption techniques to characterize active sites in catalytic materials.

Key capabilities include:

• Optimizing adsorption and dissociation of H₂/O₂ on electrolysis electrodes
• Determining whether desorption occurs near reaction conditions
• Measuring and quantifying acid or base sites to optimize reactivity and selectivity

ICCS Catalyst Characterization

In-situ catalyst characterization under real reaction conditions.

Key capabilities include:

• Understanding changes in catalyst performance over extended periods
• Determining deactivation mechanisms to maximize catalyst lifetime
• Monitoring changes in active sites, oxidation state, metal dispersion, and desorption behavior

Flow Reactor (FR)

Benchtop reactor for optimizing catalyst performance.

Key capabilities include:

• Understanding reaction kinetics to optimize parameters and conversion
• Measuring selectivity, efficiency, and catalyst lifetime
• Studying reactions requiring a liquid/gas separator at pressure and temperature

Mastersizer 3000+

Best in class laser diffraction for catalyst particle size analysis.

Key capabilities include:

• Specific surface area determination, complementary to BET
• Catalyst attrition measurements using pressure titration
• Fines size distribution analysis
• Optimizing rheology and compressibility during final powder shaping

Zetasizer

Light scattering for nanoparticle size and zeta potential.

Key capabilities include:

• Determining optimal particle size for catalytic activity or surface area
• Assessing agglomeration through zeta potential measurements

Aeris / Empyrean

High-resolution XRD for rapid phase characterization.

Key capabilities include:

• Automated quantification of catalyst phases (e.g., γ alumina, zeolites)
• Understanding adsorption sites through crystal phase analysis
• Determining crystallization endpoints during manufacturing
• Combining phase data with XRF to understand elemental distribution
• Conducting grazing incidence measurements for surface layers and coatings
• Performing low-angle transmission XRD to study microporous materials

Epsilon 4 / Zetium

XRF for elemental composition and catalyst loading control

Key capabilities include:

• Easy ppm level analysis of REEs and PGM elements
• Long lasting calibrations for reliable routine analysis
• Additional detection of halides (Cl, Br, I)

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is vital for reducing emissions and building a more sustainable future. Its success depends on advanced materials and reliable monitoring. That’s where Malvern Panalytical instruments make all the difference, helping CCUS become more effective, reliable, and scalable.

CCUS depends on advanced materials, including high-performance adsorbents, selective membranes, and durable catalysts that remain stable under harsh conditions. Malvern Panalytical provides an innovative and holistic toolkit for developing CCUS technologies, encompassing benchtop solutions for rapid QC to advanced multipurpose platforms for cutting-edge research. Our instruments provide world-class analytical insight that helps optimize the processes that transform CO₂ into useful products, supporting the entire CCUS value chain.

With Malvern Panalytical, CCUS projects can move faster, operate more safely, and deliver greater value. With Malvern Panalytical, CCUS projects can move faster, operate more safely, and deliver greater value. By providing high-quality material insights, we help organizations accelerate innovation and build investment-ready bankable projects that contribute meaningfully to global sustainability goals.

Want to know more about carbon capture? We have a range of resources available:

• Analysis of adsorbents for direct air capture of carbon dioxide using breakthrough analysis
• Sample preparation for breakthrough analysis
• Carbon dioxide characterization of carbons with the TriStar II 3020
• Introduction to chemical adsorption analytical techniques and their applications to catalysis
• Measuring the isosteric heat of adsorption of CO2 on micro-porous carbons
• Characterization of carbons using a Micromeritics 3Flex
• CO₂ adsorption in zeolite 13X
• Water vapor sorption in metal-organic frameworks characterized by Micromeritics 3Flex gas sorption analyzer
• High pressure breakthrough analysis influence of pressure on carbon capture