A ‘covalent organic framework’ can be used to capture carbon to store it or convert it for industrial use

Just half a pound of the stuff may remove as much carbon dioxide as a tree can, according to early tests. Once the carbon is absorbed by the powder, it can be released into safe storage or be used in industrial processes, like carbonizing drinks.

“This really addresses a major problem in the tech field, and it gives an opportunity now for us to scale it up and start using it,” says Omar Yaghi, a chemist at the University of California, Berkeley. It’s not the first material to absorb carbon, but “it’s a quantum leap ahead [of other compounds] in terms of the durability of the material”.

  • Lumidaub
    4·
    23 days ago

    So what exactly does one do with it? How is it applied? The article says it could be used to carbonate drinks after absorbing enough carbon but also to build plants that produce carbon - I don’t think they’re going to use pieces of a wall to carbonate drinks.

    • Amputret@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      5·
      23 days ago

      I think they mean they would be used to scrub the exhaust of plants that use carbon. Like we already do with sulphur to prevent acid rain.

    • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world
      4·
      23 days ago

      So once you’ve captured the co2, you turn it into fun bubbles that go into the atmosphere?

      Seems like adding a lot of extra steps just to make bubbles.