Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a yellow powder that can capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Known as COF-999, this material could be a game-changer in the fight against climate change.
The porous, lightweight powder acts like a sponge, trapping CO2 in its microscopic pores. Researchers said the powder can capture CO2 10 times faster than existing methods.
They say just half a pound of COF-999 can capture as much carbon dioxide as a large tree does in a year. Unlike other carbon capture technologies, COF-999 is durable enough to be reused for hundreds, or even thousands, of cycles.
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The material also requires less energy to release the trapped carbon, potentially lowering the overall cost of carbon capture.
The key innovation behind COF-999 is its ability to trap CO2 in its structure. Chemicals called amines bind to carbon dioxide molecules, according to scientists.
The powder’s effectiveness was tested outdoors, where it was exposed to fluctuating CO2 levels in the air. In every test, the powder completely removed the carbon dioxide from the air as it passed through, leaving none detectable on the other side.
The next challenge, according to researchers, is scaling up the use of COF-999 in large, industrial facilities. Such facilities would resemble oil refineries, with vast structures packed with COF-999 working to filter the air.
The study, published in the journal Nature, is part of a growing effort to make carbon capture more efficient and cost-effective.
Tags: carbon emissions, Climate Change, Green Energy, greenhouse gas emissions, hydrofluorocarbons, Methane emissions, Pollution, zero-emissions
[Jack]
SCIENTISTS MAY HAVE UNCOVERED A POWERFUL NEW WEAPON IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE… AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT. IT’S NOT A NEW FORM OF RENEWABLE ENERGY. INSTEAD, IT’S A YELLOW POWDER.
THIS POWDER, KNOWN AS C-O-F 9-9-9, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAPTURE CARBON DIOXIDE FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN A TREE.
JUST HALF A POUND OF THIS POWDER CAN DO THE WORK OF A LARGE TREE OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, HAVE BEEN TESTING C-O-F 9-9-9 OUTDOORS, AND THEY’RE CALLING IT A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN CARBON CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY. NOT ONLY DOES IT TRAP CO2 IN ITS TINY PORES, BUT IT DOES SO 10 TIMES FASTER THAN ANYTHING SEEN BEFORE.
THE POWDER, A COMBINATION OF TWO HYDROPHOBIC MOLECULAR STRUCTURES, CAN BE REUSED HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY EVEN THOUSANDS OF TIMES WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN. WHILE NOT A COMPLETE CARBON SINK, IT ACTS AS A FILTRATION DEVICE… REMOVING CARBON FROM THE AIR FOR IT TO BE RELEASED SOMEWHERE LESS DESTRUCTIVE TO THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE UNDERGROUND. AND IT ONLY NEEDS A SMALL AMOUNT OF HEAT TO RELEASE THE TRAPPED CARBON, SAVING MASSIVE OF ENERGY ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE.
THE RESEARCHERS ARE ALREADY WORKING TO MAKE COF-999 EVEN MORE EFFICIENT. THEIR GOAL IS TO PACK THIS POWDER INTO LARGE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, WHERE IT CAN PULL CARBON FROM THE AIR AND STORE IT SAFELY UNDERGROUND.
IF SUCCESSFUL, THESE CARBON CAPTURE PLANTS COULD PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN REDUCING THE LEVELS OF CO2 IN OUR ATMOSPHERE.
THE CHALLENGE NOW LIES IN SCALING THIS TECHNOLOGY UP TO MEET GLOBAL NEEDS. CURRENTLY, PRODUCING THE MATERIAL ON A MASSIVE SCALE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO EXPEL MORE CARBON THAN IT CAN CAPTURE.
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