Successfully fabricated minerals that can absorb CO2

Although this study is only in the preliminary stage, scientists are optimistic that this is a big step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. .

Recently, scientists have found a way to build a laboratory that can absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere called Magnesite , this success is the premise for a new direction in addressing climate change issues.

By speeding up a natural process that takes thousands of years to complete to day units, researchers can boost the growing field of carbon mining and storage (CCS ).

Not only that, due to the difficulties in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, experts believe that new technologies with the ability to draw CO ₂ out of the atmosphere are a powerful tool in their efforts to solve the problem. global warming.

With every ton of magnesite we can remove about half a ton of CO ₂ from the air.

Magnesite is a stone found in nature and is widely used in the gem industry and many other industrial processes. The ability of this mineral to absorb and store carbon has been discovered by scientists in the past. With every ton of magnesite we can remove about half a ton of CO ₂ from the air. However, when scientists found the potential for storing polluting gases during the formation of reefs, they encountered the problem that was the time to form new minerals.

Professor Ian Power, head of research at Trent University, explains: "It will take thousands of years for this process to be completed below the Earth's surface."

And to overcome this problem, Professor Power and colleagues investigated the process of forming natural magnesite at low temperatures, and using the inherent knowledge to speed up the crystal formation process. . They used hollow polystiren particles as a catalyst for this process, so that thousands of years of natural process was shortened to 72 days. The whole process is very energy efficient because it can happen right in the room temperature condition.

Professor Power added: "Until now, this is just an experimental process and will need to be scaled up many times before we make sure that magnesite can be used for the purpose. permanently isolating CO2, this also depends on many other factors including the cost of carbon and the process of refining the technology, but in the present, we can all see that technology This is completely possible ".

The results of the study were published by scientists at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston.

CCS technology is used in many targeted plans set by the Paris General Agreement. However, many outstanding scientists argue that we are overly optimistic about this technology when the production process has not been implemented on an industrial scale. However, there are general consensus that we will continue to develop new technologies in parallel with cutting carbon emissions. The work coming from Professor Power's group will still be welcomed by other scientists.