New Era of Carbon Capture Technology: Part 2
(Feat. COF-999, Charcoal, Nature Science, Medical Application, UC Berkeley, Green Tech, Sustainable Energy, Environment)
Continued from Part 1
83. Because carbon capture has traditionally been costly, there’s been a greater push toward reducing emissions directly.
84. However, a groundbreaking study was recently published in Nature.
85. On October 23, 2024, a team led by Dr. Yaghi at UC Berkeley revealed a new method for carbon capture.
86. Dr. Yaghi, a frequent Nobel Prize contender, is one of the most-cited chemists globally.
87. This new material, introduced by Dr. Yaghi’s team in Nature, is called COF-999.
88. COF (Covalent Organic Framework) refers to porous materials formed by linking small organic molecules through covalent bonds to create a rigid structure.
89. Think of it as a highly durable form of charcoal.
90. To understand the strength of porous materials like COFs, consider a 1931 experiment by French doctor P.F. Touery. While researching treatments for poisoning, he ingested a dose of strychnine, a deadly poison, ten times the lethal amount.
91. Despite consuming well above the lethal dose, he survived because he took it along with “something”, which he believed could neutralize the poison.
92. Thanks to his experiment, humanity gained a life-saving treatment for poisoning.
93. That is the “activated charcoal”, which is still used today, works by absorbing toxic substances.
94. Activated charcoal is produced by heating wood to around 500°C, then introducing carbon dioxide or steam at 1000°C to create a porous structure.
95. The high temperature creates millions of tiny pores, which give it an immense surface area.
96. One gram of activated charcoal has a surface area equivalent to about 1,000 square meters, with recent advanced forms reaching up to 2,000 square meters.
97. Composed primarily of activated carbon, this material can powerfully absorb organic compounds due to its enormous surface area.
98. In emergency rooms, activated charcoal is used to absorb toxic substances from the stomach in cases of poisoning.
99. It can even absorb toxins from the bloodstream via the gastrointestinal tract, helping prevent further absorption of toxic substances.
100. This re-absorption ability is why it’s given when an overdose or poisoning occurs.
101. Medical guidelines recommend activated charcoal use in cases of overdose when safe for the patient.
102. Medical textbooks state: “When in doubt, administer activated charcoal.”
103. Activated charcoal is effective for most toxins, though it’s less useful for metals like iron, lithium, and lead.
104. Roughly 95% of poisoning cases treated in emergency rooms are due to self-harm attempts.
105. In the past, gastric lavage (stomach pumping) was the standard ER treatment for poisoning.
106. Gastric lavage involves inserting a thick tube through the mouth and throat into the stomach, then flushing saline in and out about 50 times.
107. Although once common, gastric lavage is painful and poses risks like pneumonia and esophageal damage, with questionable effectiveness.
108. Since the procedure is very painful, patients are sometimes restrained when conscious.
109. Guidelines from joint U.S.-European research have led to decreased use of gastric lavage for poison removal.
110. Now, it’s mostly reserved for removing volatile poisons like gasoline or highly toxic substances like paraquat, where other treatments are ineffective.
111. Because of its incredible porous structure, charcoal has become the preferred emergency antidote for poisoning in ERs.
112. COFs, similarly, have a vast number of pores, making them capable of absorbing specific gases and toxic substances.
113. When magnified, a COF particle looks like a basketball with billions of microscopic pores.
114. By customizing the covalent bonds within a COF, researchers can adjust which substances these pores trap.
115. COF-999, for instance, is engineered with amines that facilitate the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂).
116. Just half a pound (0.22 kg) of COF-999 can capture between 20 to 40 kilograms of CO₂.
117. In dry conditions, half a pound captures roughly 20 kilograms, and in humid conditions, this amount doubles.
118. When air is passed through a container filled with COF-999, the material captures about 50% of CO₂ in 19 minutes and 80% in 62 minutes.
119. In just an hour, COF-999 can absorb 80% of the CO₂ from the air.
120. The captured CO₂ can then be easily released by slightly heating the COF-999.
121. At only 140°F (60°C ), the CO₂ begins to detach from the COF-999.
122. COF-999 can be reused repeatedly.
123. Laboratory tests have shown that even after 300 cycles of capture and release, COF-999’s performance remains stable.
124. Theoretically, COF-999 could be reused thousands of times.
125. COF-999 naturally captures CO₂, and a simple heating step (to at least 60°C) is all that’s needed to release it.
126. While the costs for large-scale production aren’t yet known, COF-999’s manufacturing involves no costly or rare materials, suggesting it could be affordable.
127. UC Berkeley has designated Dr. Yaghi and his colleague, Zhou, as co-inventors of COF-999, and they’ve filed for a patent, also establishing a company called Atoco to advance its development.
128. With practical testing underway, COF-999 shows strong potential for commercialization.
129. If COF-999 becomes widely available, carbon capture could shift focus to managing the CO₂ that’s collected.
130. When groundbreaking events like this happen, there are always a few people who emerge to change the world.
To be continued in Part 3 …
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