In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of scientists in the UK have developed a porous material that has the potential to store large quantities of greenhouse gases. The material, which was detailed in a paper published in Nature Synthesis, was created using computational models and is composed of oxygen, nitrogen, and fluorine.

Professor Marc Little from Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University expressed excitement about the discovery, noting that new porous materials are needed to address major societal challenges. He explained that while planting trees can absorb carbon dioxide, it is a slow process, so there is a need for human-made molecules to capture greenhouse gases more efficiently.

This new material resembles a cage made up of smaller molecules and could potentially absorb both carbon dioxide and sulphur hexafluoride, two potent greenhouse gases. The researchers believe that certain features of the structure make it an excellent storage option for these gases.

In addition to this new material, other options for capturing carbon are in development. Two-dimensional structures made from boron with a large surface area could potentially absorb greenhouse gases from power plants. Researchers are also exploring the use of concrete, a significant emitter of carbon dioxide, in absorbing greenhouse gases. However, one challenge is transitioning these lab experiments into practical solutions that can be implemented on a larger scale.

Scaling up these new materials and technologies to have a meaningful impact on climate change remains a complex challenge. Scientists like Marc Little are working to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world applications by addressing these challenges head-on. By doing so, they hope that new materials and strategies will play a critical role in combating climate change in the future.