Storing Oxygen in a Spoonful of Crystal

Oct-02-14 A newly created crystal able to absorb large amounts of oxygen and release it on command could lead to smaller scuba tanks and better hydrogen fuel cells.

According Professor Christine McKenzie, the crystalline material is unique in that it can be used to bind and store oxygen without reacting with it, functioning as a kind of 'artificial hemoglobin.' The stored oxygen can be released by applying gentle heat or low-oxygen conditions, and the cycle can be repeated with no degradation in the material or its efficiency. The crystal can also absorb and store oxygen in a concentration 160 times larger than the air we breathe—a spoonful is enough to absorb all the oxygen in a room.

The team believes the material could be used to eliminate the large tanks used by lung patients and scuba divers or to provide fuel cell-powered cars with a regulated oxygen supply.

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