A sponge-like plastic that soaks up greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide could help us move towards new clean energy sources.
Researchers predict the material (which is related to plastics used in food containers) could help President Obama reach his goal of reducing CO2 emissions 30 percent by the year 2030, the American Chemical Society reported. The material could be integrated into factory smokestacks in the future.
"The key point is that this polymer is stable, it's cheap, and it adsorbs CO2 extremely well. It's geared toward function in a real-world environment," said Andrew Cooper, Ph.D. "In a future landscape where fuel-cell technology is used, this adsorbent could work toward zero-emission technology."
The new material could also be included in a new technology called integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), which converts fossil fuels into hydrogen gas. Hydrogen can be used to power cars while emitting very little pollution. The process yields a mixture of CO2 gas and hydrogen, which must be separated from each other.
The sponge works best under the high pressure intrinsic to the IGCC process. Similar to a kitchen sponge soaking up water, the material expands within the spaces between molecules as it sucks in CO2. When the pressure drops the "sponge" deflates and releases collectable CO2.
The powder-like material is made by linking together small carbon-based molecules. Thanks to polymers, the material is so strong it can withstand being boiled in acid, proving it could survive the harsh conditions of a power plant. It can also absorb CO2 without taking on water vapor, which can clog most materials and make them less effective.
"Compared to many other adsorbents, they're cheap," Cooper said. "And in principle, they're highly reusable and have long lifetimes because they're very robust."
The findings were reported at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
