North Carolina Patent of the Month – January 2026

Introduction: The Thermodynamic Imperative of Decarbonization

The global transition toward a net-zero economy is fundamentally an engineering challenge defined by thermodynamic constraints. As the world seeks to mitigate the accumulation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), the industrial sector faces a critical bottleneck: the energy penalty of capture. For decades, the foundational technology for scrubbing CO₂ from flue gas streams has relied on aqueous amine solutions, a method established in the mid-20th century for sweetening natural gas. While effective at removing acidic gases, this legacy approach imposes a prohibitive energetic cost—often consuming more than 30% of a power plant’s output to regenerate the solvent. This “parasitic load” has historically rendered large-scale Post-Combustion Capture (PCC) economically unviable for all but the most subsidized projects.

Into this stagnation enters United States Patent No. 12,528,046, titled “High performance CO2 capture solvent compositions, and CO2 capture systems and processes utilizing same,” officially granted on January 20, 2026. Assigned to Susteon Inc., a deep-tech innovator based in the Research Triangle of North Carolina, this patent represents a discontinuous leap in solvent chemistry. By successfully formulating a water-lean, mixed-amine solvent system—trademarked as Sustenol™—Susteon has arguably shattered the thermodynamic floor that has constrained carbon capture economics for nearly half a century.

Recognized as the North Carolina Patent of the Month by the specialist R&D tax advisory firm Swanson Reed, this invention is not merely a chemical novelty; it is a macroeconomic enabler. It targets the decarbonization of Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) plants—the current backbone of the US electrical grid—offering a pathway to reduce the regeneration energy requirement to near 2.0 GJ/tonne CO₂, a figure previously thought unattainable with chemical absorption alone.

This report provides an exhaustive technical and economic analysis of Patent 12,528,046. It dissects the molecular innovations disclosed, benchmarks the performance against global competitors like Shell and Mitsubishi, and maps the commercial trajectory from the laboratory in Cary, NC, to industrial pilots at the National Carbon Capture Center. Furthermore, it utilizes this patent as a primary case study to elucidate the R&D Tax Credit (IRC Section 41), demonstrating how the rigorous Four-Part Test applies to such deep-tech endeavors and how firms like Swanson Reed facilitate the monetization of these critical development activities.

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The North Carolina Patent of the Month: A Data-Driven Accolade

The designation of “Patent of the Month” carries significant weight in the intellectual property community, serving as a signal of high-value innovation amidst a sea of incremental filings. However, the selection process employed by Swanson Reed is distinct in its methodology, eschewing subjective panel reviews for a rigorous, algorithmic assessment of patent quality.

The InventionINDEX Methodology

Swanson Reed employs a proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) system known as the InventionINDEX to screen the entirety of patent grants within a specific jurisdiction for a given period. For the January 2026 selection cycle in North Carolina, the system ingested and analyzed over 1,000 potential patents. This volume reflects the state’s robust innovation ecosystem, driven by hubs like the Research Triangle Park (RTP), which concentrates research from Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, and NC State University alongside private enterprise.

The AI algorithms evaluate each patent against a weighted matrix of three primary statistical indicators:

1. Novelty and Non-Obviousness: The system analyzes the patent’s citation network—specifically the “backward citations” (prior art referenced) versus the breadth of the new claims. A high score indicates a fundamental departure from existing methods rather than a minor derivative improvement. Patent 12,528,046 scored exceptionally high here due to its unique approach to “water-lean” solvents, a notoriously difficult chemical regime that has baffled researchers due to viscosity and precipitation challenges.
2. Technical Complexity: This metric assesses the depth of the scientific principles involved. The Susteon patent involves intricate organic synthesis, thermodynamic modeling of Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE), and complex process engineering, distinguishing it from simpler mechanical or software utility patents.
3. Real-World Impact: Perhaps the most critical filter, this algorithm predicts the economic and industrial utility of the invention. By targeting the specific flue gas composition of NGCC plants (which emit ~4% CO₂, a difficult target for conventional capture), the patent addresses a massive, unmet market need, securing its high impact score.

The North Carolina Innovation Ecosystem

The selection of a Susteon patent highlights the maturation of North Carolina as a global leader in climatetech. While the state has long been known for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, the emergence of companies like Susteon (based in Morrisville/Cary) indicates a diversification into heavy industrial decarbonization. Susteon itself is a spin-out and commercialization partner of RTI International and has deep ties to local academia, including North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), with whom they are developing DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) internship programs.

The award validates the state’s strategy of fostering high-risk, high-reward R&D. By securing the “Patent of the Month,” Susteon not only gains reputational capital among investors but also underscores the efficacy of regional support structures, including grants from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, which have supported related spinoffs like Sustaera.

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Technical Analysis: The Superiority of Sustenol™

To understand why Patent 12,528,046 is a “breakthrough,” one must first understand the limitations of the status quo. The incumbent technology for carbon capture is 30 wt% Monoethanolamine (MEA). While reliable, MEA is thermodynamically inefficient because it is dissolved in 70% water. Water has a high specific heat capacity (4.18 J/g°C), meaning that when the solvent is heated to release the captured CO₂, a vast amount of energy is wasted simply heating the water carrier rather than breaking the chemical bonds holding the carbon.

The Water-Lean Breakthrough

The core innovation disclosed in Patent 12,528,046 is the development of a water-lean solvent. By replacing a significant fraction of the water with organic co-solvents or utilizing a highly concentrated amine blend, Susteon reduces the sensible heat load of the system.

The patent describes an aqueous solvent composition comprising:

1. A CO₂-sorbing amine: Specifically focusing on blends that include amino acid salts and tertiary or sterically hindered amines.
2. Specific Promoters: Additives that enhance the reaction kinetics (speed) of CO₂ absorption.

This formulation, known commercially as Sustenol™, achieves a regeneration energy of 2.01 – 2.16 GJ/tonne CO₂. To put this in perspective:

• Thermodynamic Limit: The absolute minimum energy required to separate CO₂ is roughly 1.2 GJ/tonne.
• Industry Standard (MEA): Consumes >3.0 to 3.5 GJ/tonne.
• Sustenol™: At ~2.1 GJ/tonne, it cuts the “inefficiency gap” by more than half.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The superiority of the technology is quantifiable across several critical engineering metrics.

Regeneration Energy (The Economic Driver)

Energy consumption is the single largest operating expense (OPEX) in carbon capture. Data indicates that Sustenol™ achieves a ~30% reduction in regeneration energy compared to the MEA baseline. While standard MEA requires over 3.0 GJ/tonne, and optimized competitor solvents from major conglomerates hover around 2.4 GJ/tonne, Sustenol™ pushes the envelope down to near 2.0 GJ/tonne. This reduction directly translates to lower steam requirements from the power plant, preserving more electricity for sale to the grid.

Absorption Capacity (The Capital Driver)

Capacity determines how much solvent must be circulated to capture a given amount of CO₂. A higher capacity means pumps, pipes, and columns can be smaller, reducing capital expenditure (CAPEX). Sustenol™ exhibits a dynamic CO₂ absorption capacity of ~0.50 mol CO₂/mol amine, which is double the capacity of standard MEA (0.25 mol/mol). This “cyclic capacity” advantage allows Susteon to design smaller, cheaper capture plants.

Kinetics and Stability

Fast kinetics are essential to minimize the height of the absorption towers. Susteon’s formulation boasts three times higher absorption kinetics compared to 30 wt% MEA. Furthermore, the patent emphasizes high oxidative and thermal stability. Amine degradation is a major operational headache; as amines break down, they form corrosive salts and volatile emissions. Susteon’s data suggests their solvent is significantly more robust, leading to lower solvent make-up costs and reduced environmental footprint.

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Competitive Landscape

The field of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is crowded with multinational giants and agile startups. Patent 12,528,046 positions Susteon aggressively against both entrenched incumbents and emerging challengers.

The Incumbents: Shell and Mitsubishi

The current market leaders for large-scale amine capture are Shell (Cansolv) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (KM-CDR Process).

• Shell Cansolv: This system is the industry benchmark for reliability, having been deployed at the Boundary Dam project in Canada. However, Cansolv is fundamentally an aqueous amine system. While highly optimized, it faces the same thermodynamic limits imposed by water. Recent benchmarks suggest Cansolv requires approximately 2.3–2.5 GJ/tonne of energy.
• Mitsubishi KM-CDR: Similarly, Mitsubishi’s KS-1™ and newer KS-21™ solvents are advanced sterically hindered amines. They are robust and commercially proven but typically require complex process integration (like vapor recompression) to achieve energy numbers below 2.5 GJ/tonne.

Susteon’s Advantage: Sustenol™ offers a “step-change” in chemistry rather than incremental process optimization. By fundamentally altering the solvent’s heat capacity through water-lean formulation, Susteon achieves lower energy duties intrinsically, potentially allowing for simpler, cheaper plant designs without complex heat integration schemes.

The Challengers: Carbon Clean and ION

• Carbon Clean (UK/US): Known for their CycloneCC technology, which uses Rotating Packed Beds (RPBs) to replace tall towers. Their solvent, APBS-CDRMax, is optimized for these high-gravity environments. While Carbon Clean focuses on process intensification (shrinking the equipment), Susteon focuses on chemical intensification (improving the fluid). Susteon’s advantage is versatility; Sustenol™ is a “drop-in” solvent that can theoretically be used in both conventional towers and advanced contactors, whereas CycloneCC is a hardware-specific solution.
• ION Clean Energy (Colorado): ION is perhaps the closest direct competitor in terms of business model, also developing a proprietary solvent. ION claims extremely high stability and low emissions. However, Susteon’s specific focus on the NGCC market (Natural Gas Combined Cycle) gives it a strategic niche. NGCC flue gas is cooler and more dilute (~4% CO₂) than coal flue gas, making water balance and kinetics even more critical—areas where Susteon’s patent claims specific advantages.

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Real-World Impact and Commercial Trajectory

The “Real-World Impact” metric of the InventionINDEX is validated by Susteon’s rapid commercialization progress. This patent is not a theoretical exercise; it is the foundation of active industrial pilots.

The Natural Gas Challenge (NGCC)

The primary target for Patent 12,528,046 is the Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plant. As the world retires coal, natural gas has become the “bridge fuel.” However, decarbonizing gas is notoriously difficult. The low concentration of CO₂ means the “driving force” for absorption is weak. Standard amines struggle here, requiring massive columns to catch the dilute CO₂. Susteon’s solvent is explicitly optimized for this low-concentration (~4 vol%) environment. By unlocking cost-effective capture for NGCC, Susteon addresses a market worth trillions: the existing fleet of gas turbines that must be decarbonized to meet 2035 and 2050 climate goals.

Pilot Testing and Scale-Up

The technology has graduated from the lab. Susteon has secured funding and partnerships to test Sustenol™ at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) in Wilsonville, Alabama.

• Objective: The pilot aims to demonstrate >95% CO₂ capture efficiency under real-world flue gas conditions, validating the stability and emissions profile.
• Partners: The project engages TotalEnergies as an industrial partner, signaling strong interest from the oil and gas supermajors who are desperately seeking viable carbon management solutions.
• Funding: The development has been supported by over $1 million in DOE funding, specifically targeting the reduction of capture costs to <$50/tonne—a critical threshold that makes carbon capture profitable under the US "45Q" tax credit regime (which offers up to $85/tonne for sequestered CO₂).

Future Potentials: Carbon-to-Value and DAC

The patent also serves as a platform for broader “Carbon-to-Value” applications. Susteon is not just capturing CO₂; they are developing integrated systems to convert it.

• Green Methanol & SAF: Collaborative projects involving Honeywell UOP and PNNL utilize Susteon’s capture expertise to feed downstream synthesis reactors, creating Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and green methanol.
• Direct Air Capture (DAC) – Sustaera: The chemical principles in Patent 12,528,046 have already birthed a unicorn-in-waiting. Susteon spun out Sustaera, a DAC company backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures. While Sustaera uses alkali sorbents, the deep expertise in amine kinetics and sorbent-support interactions disclosed in the Susteon patents forms the intellectual bedrock of this sister company, creating a synergistic ecosystem where improvements in point-source capture inform direct air capture and vice versa.

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R&D Tax Credit Analysis: The 4-Part Test

For deep-tech companies like Susteon, the Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (IRC Section 41) is a vital source of non-dilutive capital. It allows companies to recover a percentage of their Qualified Research Expenses (QREs)—such as wages, supplies, and contractor costs—as a dollar-for-dollar credit against federal (and often state) tax liability.

However, eligibility is not automatic. The IRS mandates that every claimed project must satisfy the Four-Part Test. The development of Patent 12,528,046 serves as a textbook example of how to substantiate a claim under this rigorous framework.

Test 1: Permitted Purpose

The Requirement: The activity must relate to the development of a new or improved business component (product, process, software, technique, formula, or invention) regarding its function, performance, reliability, or quality.

Application to Susteon: Susteon’s development of the Sustenol™ solvent (a “product” and “formula”) explicitly meets this test. The entire research initiative was undertaken to improve the performance (CO₂ absorption capacity) and efficiency (regeneration energy) of the solvent compared to existing commercial products. The patent specifications themselves serve as primary evidence of the intent to create a functional business component with superior performance characteristics.

Test 2: Technological in Nature

The Requirement: The research must fundamentally rely on the principles of the physical or biological sciences, engineering, or computer science. Activities based on soft sciences (economics, psychology) do not qualify.

Application to Susteon: The development process disclosed in the patent is deeply rooted in the hard sciences.

• Organic Chemistry: Synthesizing specific blends of amino acid salts and sterically hindered amines.
• Thermodynamics: Measuring Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) data and heat capacity.
• Chemical Engineering: Utilizing 2D NMR spectroscopy to measure diffusion coefficients and developing rate-based models in Aspen Plus™. These activities satisfy the requirement that the research relies on the principles of chemistry and engineering.

Test 3: Elimination of Uncertainty

The Requirement: At the outset of the project, there must be uncertainty regarding the capability to develop the component, the method of development, or the appropriate design of the component. The uncertainty must be technical, not merely commercial.

Application to Susteon: The patent text and associated research papers highlight significant technical uncertainty. Developing a “water-lean” solvent is fraught with risk. Reducing water content often leads to:

• Viscosity Increases: Making the solvent too thick to pump efficiently.
• Precipitation: Causing salts to solidify and clog the absorber columns.
• Phase Separation: The solvent separating into two liquid phases. Susteon faced the uncertainty of whether a specific mixture could achieve the targeted energy reduction (2.0 GJ/tonne) without triggering these failure modes. The outcome was not known until the research was conducted, establishing the existence of technical uncertainty.

Test 4: Process of Experimentation

The Requirement: Substantially all activities must constitute a process of experimentation. This involves identifying the uncertainty, identifying alternatives, and evaluating those alternatives through modeling, simulation, or systematic trial and error.

Application to Susteon: The research utilized a rigorous Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology. The “Process of Experimentation” is clearly documented:

1. Hypothesis: The team hypothesized that specific sterically hindered amines combined with amino acid salts would lower heat capacity.
2. Screening: They synthesized various candidate blends and screened them for basic properties (viscosity, absorption rate).
3. Modeling: They used Aspen Plus™ simulations to predict the energy performance of the most promising candidates at scale.
4. Iterative Testing: They refined the formulation based on bench-scale results and prepared for pilot-scale validation at NCCC. This systematic cycle of hypothesis, testing, analysis, and refinement is the definition of a qualified process of experimentation.

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How Swanson Reed Can Help

Navigating the complexities of the R&D Tax Credit is challenging, particularly for companies involved in high-stakes, multi-year engineering projects. A failed audit can result in the repayment of credits plus penalties and interest. This is where Swanson Reed differentiates itself as a specialist advisor.

Exclusive Focus and Independence

Unlike generalist CPA firms that offer R&D studies as an add-on service, Swanson Reed exclusively focuses on R&D tax incentives. This specialization eliminates conflicts of interest and ensures that their entire methodology is optimized for one outcome: defensible, maximized claims.

The TaxTrex Advantage

Documentation is the “Achilles’ heel” of many R&D claims. The IRS often disallows credits because the “Process of Experimentation” was not documented at the time it occurred, but rather reconstructed years later (a practice known as “hindsight bias”). Swanson Reed utilizes TaxTrex, a proprietary AI-driven software platform, to solve this. TaxTrex surveys engineers (like Susteon’s Dr. Zhou or Dr. Gupta) during the project lifecycle. It prompts them to record:

• The specific technical uncertainty they are facing today.
• The experiments they ran this month.
• The results (success or failure).

This creates an immutable, time-stamped audit trail that serves as “contemporaneous documentation,” the gold standard of evidence in an IRS audit.

Audit Defense: creditARMOR

Risk management is central to Swanson Reed’s value proposition. Their creditARMOR platform includes robust audit defense support.

• 6-Eye Review: Every claim undergoes a three-stage review process by multiple specialists to ensure technical and legal accuracy.
• Representation: In the event of an audit, Swanson Reed provides the defense, leveraging their deep understanding of the specific case law and engineering principles involved.

North Carolina Expertise

With a physical presence in Clemmons, NC, Swanson Reed is intimately familiar with the local tax landscape. This is crucial because North Carolina has its own specific R&D tax credit rules that interact with the federal credit. Swanson Reed helps local companies navigate the nuances of the North Carolina Research & Development Tax Credit (when available/applicable) and ensures seamless integration with federal filings. They actively support the local CPA community through continuing education (CPE) webinars, fostering a knowledgeable ecosystem for innovation finance.

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Final Thoughts

United States Patent 12,528,046 stands as a testament to the power of science-based innovation to address the existential threat of climate change. By successfully engineering a solvent that breaks the “energy penalty” deadlock, Susteon Inc. has not only secured a “Patent of the Month” award but has also positioned North Carolina at the vanguard of the global energy transition.

The significance of this invention extends beyond its immediate technical specs. It represents the type of “Qualified Research” that the US Congress intended to incentivize through the R&D Tax Credit. By leveraging the expertise of specialist firms like Swanson Reed, innovators can ensure that the risks they take in the lab are rewarded in the ledger, creating a virtuous cycle of capital recovery and reinvestment that will drive the next generation of breakthroughs. As Susteon moves from pilot to commercial deployment with partners like TotalEnergies, the “water-lean” revolution in carbon capture is poised to reshape the industrial landscape, one molecule of CO₂ at a time.