Capturing CO2 With Clay

Apr-13-15 Researchers are testing the feasibility of using ordinary clay to replace the expensive and hard-to-find materials currently used to capture carbon dioxide.

Typically, most of the materials installed inside industrial smokestacks to capture CO2 are complicated and expensive. In search of an alternative, a team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology investigated the potential of using clay materials. They discovered that the clay material smectite is an ideal candidate, able to trap CO2 molecules selectively and with a good storage capacity. In particular, the smectite clay lithium-fluorohectorite can hold the CO2 at temperatures up to 95°F and then release it at higher temperatures, allowing the capture to be controlled.

Although the results are promising, the technology is still in the earliest stages.

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