Fig. 1: Schematic illustration of systems.

a Sequential process of direct air capture (DAC) coupled with CO₂ electrolysis (Route 1) vs. b integrated process of reactive CO₂ capture (Route 2). c, d Comparison of CO₂ transport and conversion in two systems: c A gas-fed CO₂ electrolysis system incorporating a hydrophobic microporous layer, a gas diffusion layer, and a catalyst layer. The CO₂ reduction reaction took place at the catalyst surface within a three-phase boundary. d The current carbonate-based reactive capture system operates in a hydrophilic environment. In this work, we integrate a porous catalyst supported on carbon, featuring multidirectional nanoporous diffusion channels. These structures promote short-range, non-electrostatic interactions between pore walls and reactants, enhancing the retention and accumulation of i-CO₂ and thereby maximizing its utilization. Source data for the results are provided as a Source Data file.