Powder Created with Record Level of CO2 Absorption from Air
Today, removing any significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (the main catalyst for the greenhouse effect) is an impossible task both in terms of cost and efficiency. Scientists from the US have been able to optimize the process, creating a miracle powder with a record level of CO2 absorption, the commercial use of which may begin in a couple of years.
What makes COF-999 unique is its ability to absorb 20 kg of CO2 in just 200 grams of powder. For comparison, an average tree absorbs about the same amount of carbon dioxide in a whole year. This figure makes the new material unrivaled among existing carbon dioxide capture solutions.
One of the main advantages of COF-999 is its ability to work at room temperature as a dry powder. Unlike previous methods that used liquid amine solutions and required heating to increase the efficiency of the reaction, the new material greatly simplifies the process. When heated to 60 °C, COF-999 releases the captured CO2, allowing the powder to be reused up to 100 times. The released carbon dioxide can either be buried or used in industrial processes.
Scientists expect the new material to be commercially available in about two years if they can improve its absorption capacity and the number of cycles it can withstand.
