Tech
New Material May Trap Harmful Noble Gases in a Cage by 'Breathing'
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jul 21, 2014 09:38 AM EDT
A new material may just have the potential to trap harmful gases that are used in industries that range from lighting to medicine. Scientists have created CC3, a new material which could be helpful in removing unwanted or hazardous radioactive elements.
When nuclear fuel is recycled, the process releases radioactive krypton and xenon gases. In fact, naturally occurring uranium in rock actually contaminates basements with the related gas radon. Yet CC3 has the potential to help soak up these gases in order to make the environment safer for people.
"Xenon, krypton and radon are noble gases, which are chemically inert," said Praveen Thallapally, one of the researchers, in a news release. "So we were happily surprised at how easily CC3 removed them from the gas stream."
CC3 is part of a group of materials that are called porous organic cages. These materials have molecular structures that are made up of repeating unites that form 3D cages. In this case, cages built from a molecule called CC3 are the right size to hold about three atoms of xenon, krypton or radon.
In order to see how effective CC3 was, the researchers created a computer simulation that showed CC3 interacting with atoms of xenon and other noble cases. The scientists found that the molecular structure of CC3 naturally expands and contracts. This breathing creates a hole in the "cage" that atoms of gases slip through and then are trapped.
The new material could be used in numerous applications, including pharmaceuticals. In addition, the material represents a cost-effective way to trap these gases.
"Because these materials function well at ambient or close to ambient temperatures, the processes based on them are less energy intensive to use," said Denis Strachan, one of the researchers.
That said, scientists need to conduct further studies in order to assess CC3 fully. Yet it does represent a possible way to remove hazardous materials from the environment.
The findings are published in the journal Nature Materials.
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First Posted: Jul 21, 2014 09:38 AM EDT
A new material may just have the potential to trap harmful gases that are used in industries that range from lighting to medicine. Scientists have created CC3, a new material which could be helpful in removing unwanted or hazardous radioactive elements.
When nuclear fuel is recycled, the process releases radioactive krypton and xenon gases. In fact, naturally occurring uranium in rock actually contaminates basements with the related gas radon. Yet CC3 has the potential to help soak up these gases in order to make the environment safer for people.
"Xenon, krypton and radon are noble gases, which are chemically inert," said Praveen Thallapally, one of the researchers, in a news release. "So we were happily surprised at how easily CC3 removed them from the gas stream."
CC3 is part of a group of materials that are called porous organic cages. These materials have molecular structures that are made up of repeating unites that form 3D cages. In this case, cages built from a molecule called CC3 are the right size to hold about three atoms of xenon, krypton or radon.
In order to see how effective CC3 was, the researchers created a computer simulation that showed CC3 interacting with atoms of xenon and other noble cases. The scientists found that the molecular structure of CC3 naturally expands and contracts. This breathing creates a hole in the "cage" that atoms of gases slip through and then are trapped.
The new material could be used in numerous applications, including pharmaceuticals. In addition, the material represents a cost-effective way to trap these gases.
"Because these materials function well at ambient or close to ambient temperatures, the processes based on them are less energy intensive to use," said Denis Strachan, one of the researchers.
That said, scientists need to conduct further studies in order to assess CC3 fully. Yet it does represent a possible way to remove hazardous materials from the environment.
The findings are published in the journal Nature Materials.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone