A team of scientists in the United Kingdom has developed a porous material that can store large quantities of greenhouse gases, offering a new tool in the fight against climate change. The researchers used computational models to create this material, which was detailed in a paper published in Nature Synthesis. They believe that certain features of the structure make it an excellent storage option for carbon dioxide and sulphur hexafluoride, both potent greenhouse gases.
Engineering professor Marc Little from Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University expressed excitement about the discovery, noting that new porous materials are needed to address major societal challenges. The new material, resembling a cage made up of smaller molecules, is an organic supermolecule composed of oxygen, nitrogen, and fluorine. Little explained that while planting trees can absorb carbon, it is a slow process, so there is a need for human-made molecules to capture greenhouse gases more efficiently.
Apart from this new material, other options for capturing carbon are in development. Two-dimensional structures made from boron, with a large surface area, could potentially absorb greenhouse gases from power plants. Researchers are also exploring the use of concrete, a significant emitter of carbon dioxide, in absorbing greenhouse gases. However, one challenge is transitioning these lab experiments into practical solutions that can be implemented on a larger scale.
Scaling up these new materials and technologies to have a meaningful impact on climate change remains a complex challenge. Scientists like Marc Little are working to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world applications by addressing these challenges. By doing so, new materials and strategies could play a critical role in combating climate change in the future