‘Wonder material’ could suck CO2 from air
Three year study will further explore potential for material as a catalyst for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions
A wonder material that could capture carbon dioxide directly from the air and boost climate efforts is under the microscope in a new NZ$1.5 million (US$1.09 million) Kiwi study.
A new class of materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are exciting scientists, because of many unique and often superior properties that can be tuned to perform impressive tasks.
MOFs are composed of networks of organic, or carbon-based, compounds interspersed with metal ions.
They’ve proven to be incredibly flexible with a myriad of potential applications including as antimicrobial agents, hydrogen-storage materials and solar-cell components.
In a three-year study, just funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Enterprise’s Catalyst Strategic Fund, scientists at Massey University will further explore their potential.
“We will use them to explore new catalysts for eliminating nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions with materials capable of capturing carbon dioxide directly from air to mitigate global warming, and sensors that detect important trace biomolecules, plus many more advances,” said project leader Professor Shane Telfer, of Massey’s Institute of Fundamental Sciences.