Aerospace, defence, and space systems increasingly require CO₂ capture technologies that are compact, energy-efficient, low-maintenance, and capable of operating reliably under strict mass, volume, and power constraints. Conventional amine-based and calcium-looping systems are rarely suitable due to their weight, regeneration demands, maintenance complexity, and waste generation.

NANOARC’s Q-LHO nano-sorbents offer a solid-state solution engineered for these demanding sectors. With exceptionally high surface area, high CO₂ uptake efficiency, reduced material requirements, and moderate regeneration temperatures, Q-LHO enables smaller, lighter, and more durable CO₂ capture systems for aircraft, spacecraft, naval vessels, defence manufacturing, and remote or mobile installations.

Operational Requirements in Aerospace, Defence & Space

These sectors require CO₂ capture systems that deliver:

• Low mass and minimal volume

• High reliability across long duty cycles

• Energy efficiency when power budgets are limited or mission-critical

• Minimal consumables and low waste generation, reducing logistics burden

• Compatibility with existing environmental control or processing systems

• Low maintenance, especially for remote bases, in-orbit platforms, and inaccessible platforms

Q-LHO’s solid-state nature supports these demands without solvents, steam reboilers, or high-temperature furnaces.

Technical Characteristics of Q-LHO for A&D and Space Applications

High Specific Surface Area

• 5 nm: 596 m²/g

• 10 nm: 298 m²/g

• 20 nm: 149 m²/g

High SSA enables efficient CO₂ removal in highly constrained environments such as spacecraft cabins, aircraft ECS, and naval interiors.

CO₂ Uptake

• 5 nm: 5.88 g CO₂/g

• 10 nm: 2.94 g CO₂/g

• 20 nm: 1.47 g CO₂/g

These values support ultra-compact, lightweight system designs—critical for aviation, spaceflight, submarine operations, and deployable defence systems.

Material Efficiency

Q-LHO reduces sorbent requirements by 70–90% compared with amine or CaO systems, significantly reducing mass, storage needs, and resupply frequency.

Lifecycle Performance

Energy Efficiency

Regeneration at 250–350 °C enables low-energy operation compatible with waste-heat recovery, electrical heating, or spacecraft thermal loops.

Material Efficiency

Up to 90% less sorbent reduces mass budget, transport load, and storage—ideal for long-duration missions and logistics-limited operations.

Waste Profile

A solid-state system with 5,000–10,000 cycles supports long missions, low-maintenance infrastructure, and reduced environmental impact in sensitive or enclosed environments.

Deployment Configurations

Aerospace

• Compact fixed-bed units for aircraft cabin environment control

• Low-mass modules for onboard equipment exhaust capture

Defence Manufacturing

• High-throughput installations for steelmaking, alloy processing, munitions production, and energy-intensive facilities

Naval & Subsea Platforms

• Solid-state, low-maintenance operation in high-particulate or corrosive environments

• Suitable for submarines, where space and waste management are extremely limited

Remote and Forward Operating Bases

• Modular containerised units for rapid deployment and low-logistics operation

Space Industry

• Integration into Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) for spacecraft, orbital stations, and commercial space habitats

• High CO₂ uptake in minimal volume supports crew survival systems, long-duration missions, and deep-space operations

• Solid-state operation eliminates liquid management challenges in microgravity

• Long cycle life aligns with mission duration requirements, reducing resupply dependencies

Sector-Specific Advantages

• Reduced mass and volume

• Lower power demand compatible with mission-critical budgets

• Minimal waste and long sorbent life

• Predictable performance under variable atmospheric, thermal, and pressure conditions

• Reliability ideal for autonomous or unattended operation

• Straightforward maintenance, refurbishment, and replacement cycles

Deployment Scenarios

A. Aerospace Life-Support & Exhaust Capture

Lightweight integration into cabin ECS, oxygen systems, or emissions units on aircraft.

B. Spacecraft & Orbital Platforms

High-efficiency CO₂ removal for crewed modules, surface habitats, and commercial stations, with predictable performance in microgravity and vacuum-adjacent applications.

C. Defence Industrial Sites

High-volume capture for foundries, composite manufacturing, propulsion systems, and chemical facilities.

D. Naval Platforms

Robust operation in confined, mission-critical environments such as submarine life-support or shipboard process systems.

E. Remote & Expeditionary Installations

Modular units reduce supply chain and energy burden in off-grid or rapidly deployed contexts.

Summary

Q-LHO nano-sorbents provide aerospace, defence, and space organisations with:

• Substantial reductions in mass and material consumption

• Significant energy savings suitable for mission constraints

• Minimal waste generation with long-term durability

• Compact and modular form factors for constrained environments

• Straightforward integration into both terrestrial and in-orbit systems

This positions Q-LHO as a leading technology for next-generation environmental control, industrial decarbonisation, and high-reliability CO₂ management across the aerospace, defence, and space sectors.

ECO RN

COLOUR : White Nanopowder

SURFACE AREA (BET) : 35930 m²/kg

AVERAGE NOx ABSORPTION : approx. 49.7 mg of NOx per gram of nano-biomaterial

AVERAGE DOSAGE IN COATINGS* (e.g. in flue systems, on walls of buildings, seed silos, freestall barns & manure storage walls) : ~ 0.2 g per litre

AVERAGE DOSAGE PER m3 OF MANURE:  8.3 g

1 cubic metre (m3) of manure = 400 kg

AVERAGE DOSAGE IN SOIL IRRIGATION WATER (for ~ 19.8 kg of N ha−1 year−1 ) *: 0.0004 wt % (i.e. 0.1 g per 25L) - per year or 1.09 kg per hectare, per year. (more info in applications section below)

1 hectare is irrigatEd with approx. 250,000 L of water

APPLICATIONS : 

• Anti-pathogenic agent against Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria, the fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium oxalicum ( ~ 150 - 250 μg/mL or 0.15 to 0.25g per litre)

• It helps preserve surfaces from acidic rain damage resulting from SOx and NOx pollutants

• Effective nano-sorbent for SO2 (wet flue), propionaldehyde, benzaldehyde, ammonia, dimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine and methanol. Smoke suppression and flame retardant.

• Effective nano-sorbent for phosphates, NO2 and NH3 capture. 

Upon reaction with NO2 , a mixture of nitrate (NO3 ), NO and nitrogen (N) are formed nan-biomaterial surface. NO3 is a thermally stable specie that typically decomposes at temperatures between 177 and 327 °C.. 

When these adsorbates are bound to the nano-biomaterial surface however, NO2 species are retained on the nano-biomaterial surface up to about 327 °C , and the NO3  tends to be stable at temperatures up to 527  °C. 

This means the nano-biomaterial can retain NOx  can help minimise the emissions from manure

Nitrates (NO3 ) in the soil are a primary source of nitrogen which is essential for plant growth. Essentially, plant roots absorb nitrates for healthy growth. and they need the nitrate for producing amino acids which are then used to form proteins. It regulates the overall nitrogen metabolism and provides uninterrupted nitrogen for chlorophyll biosynthesis. This makes the thermal stability of the absorbed NOx important because : 

•  The emission rates of  NOx  can be curbed in hot climates and drought situations and

•  Due the high soluble and biodegradable nature of NO3 fertiliser specie being bound to the nano-biomaterial surface, where the paticles act as nitrate storage systems. NO3 fertiliser is hence retained in the soil via the nano-biomaterial surface longer periods throughout the year in a delayed release mechanism.

An extended availability of NO3 reduces the need for repetitive fertiliser usage and saves farmers millions of dollars, preserves soil health, cleans the air and restores a balance in the ecosystem. 

This approach is designated to keep N in the soil longer and released slowly to plants over time via diffusive mechanisms as the N content deminishes in the surrounding soil, rather than being emitted into the atmosphere as a harmful NOx air pollutant.

Being bound to a water insoluble mineral nano-biomaterial is also likely to reduce the excessive runoff of nitrogen into waterways and minimise aquatic pollution.

• Reduces soil acidity.

• Soil amendment, soil conditioner

• Contains an essential element to most biological systems, which becomes available to soil and groundwater microbial populations during metals remediation, as an added benefit.