"Magnetic sponge" MOF captures carbon with record energy efficiency

[Judi Lynn]

By Nick Lavars
June 05, 2020

As porous materials with incredibly high surface areas, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer a huge degree of versatility that could see them used in alternative rocket fuels, advanced batteries and devices that quickly detect dangerous gases. Another area where they have real potential is in the field of carbon capture, which a team of researchers in Australia has demonstrated with a sponge-like device that adsorbs CO2 using just a third of the energy of other methods.

MOFs are made from metal ions fashioned into a crystalline structure to offer the largest surface area of any known material. It is said that the porous nature of MOFs would allow one the size of a teaspoon to accommodate the whole surface of a football field, a unique characteristic that offers incredible potential.

Scientists working on carbon capture and storage technologies have been looking to harness this potential for years, with some exciting advances being made. These MOFs can be crafted into 3D lattice structures with finely-tuned holes that trap CO2 while allowing other molecules to pass through, with advances making them cheaper and more efficient all the time.

The latest comes from researchers at Australia’s Monash University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), whose MOF, called M-74 CPT@PTMSP, features magnetic nanoparticles that make it function like a “magnetic sponge.” This combination enables it to adsorb CO2 from atmospheric sources using just one-third of the energy of any other reported method, according to the research team.

More:
https://newatlas.com/environment/magnetic-sponge-captures-carbon-record-energy-efficiency/