A liquid with tiny holes floating around in it may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but that’s what an international team of scientists has created. Currently just a prototype, the permanently porous liquid represents a new class of material, says Stuart James, a professor of chemistry and chemical Engineering at Queens Univ. Belfast.
“Materials which contain permanent holes, or pores, are technologically important. They are used for manufacturing a range of products from plastic bottles to petrol. However, until recently, these porous materials have been solids,” James says.
James and his colleagues envision such a porous liquid sopping up carbon dioxide. “It would need to be exposed to the carbon dioxide so that the CO2 can dissolve in it, and then pumped to a place where the CO2 can be released (e.g., by heating). The porous liquid would then be pumped back to collect more CO2,” James says, adding that the gas could not be stored indefinitely in the pores. “Other technologies would need to be used to store or chemically convert the CO2,” James says...
Would you like to access the complete CEP News Update?
No problem. You just have to complete the following steps.
You have completed 0 of 2 steps.
-
Log in
You must be logged in to view this content. Log in now.
-
AIChE Membership
You must be an AIChE member to view this article. Join now.
Copyright Permissions
Would you like to reuse content from CEP Magazine? It’s easy to request permission to reuse content. Simply click here to connect instantly to licensing services, where you can choose from a list of options regarding how you would like to reuse the desired content and complete the transaction.
