Production of 'utopian' materials capable of absorbing superior water

(Swedish scientists have recently created a new material, an 'utopian' material that breaks the record for surface area and water adsorption capacity. This new material was created by researchers from Sweden's Uppsala University. The research results are published July 17 in the journal PLOS ONE.

The new material, which is composed of magnesium carbonate, named Upsalte , is expected to reduce the amount of energy needed to control the environmental humidity in electronic devices and the construction industry. medicines as well as at ice hockey rinks and warehouses. This material can also be used to collect hazardous waste or chemical spills and in pharmaceutical distribution systems, or to control odors and hygiene after a fire.

'Contrary to what science has confirmed for more than 100 years, we have discovered that amorphous magnesium carbonate can be created in a very simple process and very low temperature ,' Johan Gomez de la Torre, researcher at the Nanotechnology Department and functional materials revealed.

While the forms of magnesium carbonate, which are both water-based and non-structural in structure, are abundant in nature, confusing free water forms have been shown to be very difficult to create. In 1908, German researchers argued that the material could not be produced in the same way as disturbing other carbonates, by CO2 foams through an alcohol suspension . Subsequent studies in 1926 and 1961 also led to similar conclusions.

"On a Thursday, 2011 afternoon, we changed some of the aggregate parameters of previous unsuccessful efforts, and by mistake to leave the material in the reactor over the weekend. working on Monday mornings, we found a solid gel formed and after drying the gel we were extremely excited , 'said Johan Goméz de la Torre.

Then there is a year for detailed analysis of materials and refining of experiments. One of the researchers, thanks to his Russian skills, explored the reaction mechanisms that were only mentioned in an old Russian doctoral thesis.

"After going through some state of the art material nature of art materials, it became clear that we have actually synthesized materials that science previously thought could not be done ," Maria Strømme, Professor of Nanotechnology and head of Nanotechnology and functional materials said.

The most notable finding is that, however, it is not that scientists have created a new material but a new material with outstanding properties. It turns out Upsalite is the material with the largest measured surface area for an alkaline earth metal, up to 800m ² / gram.

'This puts this new material in a group of high-density porous materials such as silica, zeolite, metal organic frames and carbon nanotubes , ' Strømme said.

In addition, we found that the material filled all holes with a diameter less than 10nm. This tiny hole structure gives this material a completely unique way to interact with the environment, leading to some important properties for the application of this material. Upsalite is capable of absorbing more water at relative humidity than any existing desiccant material; Hydroscopic zeolite, a property that can be re-recovered with the corresponding energy consumption in processes in use today.

'This, along with other unique characteristics of this unbelievably discovered material, is expected to pave the way for a host of new durable products in many industrial applications , ' says Maria Strømme. .

This finding will be commercialized in the near future.