Researchers have made an incredible breakthrough that could be a game-changer in the field of carbon capture. They have synthesized new titanium molecules that react with air to remove carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide in the air is a major source of the rising global and ocean temperatures. So, a major way to fight back is through carbon capture and storage efforts. "Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) can play a significant role in mitigating carbon emissions in the future and is a key technology for the decarbonization of the energy sector in the long term," according to the United Nations.
There are more advanced carbon capture efforts at so-called points of entry, such as power plants and refineries. This means carbon dioxide pollution is captured before it enters the atmosphere. But these methods are expensive and require a lot of energy. That's why the ability to capture carbon already in the air would be a major innovation.
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Definitely 💯 The researchers at the University of Oregon built on earlier research they did with vanadium, an element right next to titanium on the periodic table. "We opted to look into titanium as it's 100 times cheaper than vanadium, more abundant, more environmentally friendly and already well established in industrial uses," Karlie Bach, a graduate student who worked on the study, explained.
"The metal is found combined in practically all rocks, sand, clay, and other soils," Britannica declares.
This is only the latest exciting development in the field of direct air carbon capture. Microsoft just announced a big investment in Deep Sky, a company working on such efforts. And another company called SpiralWave is developing technology that can turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel.
Carbon capture efforts remain hotly contested. Some argue they are necessary, while others say they prop up dirty energy companies and don't do enough to deal with the problem.
But with each new innovative discovery, the problem of our overheating atmosphere seems more solvable.
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