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ZIF Crystals Trap 80x Its Weight in CO2




Photo: Omar Yaghi and Rahul Banerjee/UCLA

Researchers had developed a new nanoscale crystal called ZIF (zeolitic imidazolate framerwork) that can trap 80x its volume of carbon dioxide:

This particular crystal has excited proponents of carbon-capturetechnology for its ability to absorb CO2 and nothing else, but the process that head researcher Omar Yahgi and his lab used to develop the compound is potentially much more significant.

Yahgi’s lab employs automation techniques frequently found in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to rapidly test crystal samples on a scale not previously possible, which has led to an avalanche of new discoveries. At one point, the technique was yielding so many potentially useful compounds that Yahgi had to ask his students to stop so they could publish their findings. Possible uses for crystals that can selectively absorb specific molecules are numerous, including military applications and hydrogen-fuel storage for green vehicles.

Link - Thanks Dave Bullock!


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Posted on February 27, 2008 at 6:54 am by Alex
Category: Science & Tech



7 comments to "ZIF Crystals Trap 80x Its Weight in CO2"

  • NeuroGirl
    February 27th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    I’ve met him… he called my research program “second-rate”. Told me technology would make my kind obsolete in twenty years. Why is it that all of the brilliant researchers have poor people skills?

  • just a guy
    February 27th, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    ‘your kind’ ? what does that mean?!

  • Louise
    February 27th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    Girls, probably. People are just useful compounds, after all.

  • Allister
    February 27th, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    Here comes the grey-goo…

  • Franz Kafka
    February 27th, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    At first it was meant to capture CO2, bu then, after many strange experiments, it became………

    THE BLOBB!!!!!!

  • K!P
    February 28th, 2008 at 3:36 am

    is it by weight or by volume? the title say’s weight, while the article say’s volume.

  • S-r-ex
    February 28th, 2008 at 7:16 am

    The linked article says volume, and thinking reasonably, holding 80 times its’ ‘weight’ in Co2 is rather impressive. Say one gram of crystals holds 80 grams of Co2. Co2 weights roughly 2 grams pr litre, one gram of crystals holds 40 litres of Co2.I cvhecked wikipedia, one litre of crystals holds 83 litres of Co2, which seems more of a possible task.

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