Scientists Create New Cheap Asphalt Material that Can Capture and Store Carbon

Could asphalt actually provide a new technique for "green" carbon capture? Scientists have found that the best material to keep carbon dioxide from natural gas wells from fouling the atmosphere may be a derivative of asphalt.

The basic compound known as asphalt-porous carbon (A-PC) captures carbon dioxide as it leaves a wellhead under pressure supplied by the rising gas itself. When the pressure is relieved, A-PC then spontaneously releases the carbon dioxide, which can be piped off to storage, pumped back downhole or repurposed for various uses, such as enhanced oil recovery.

The best variation of this asphalt is actually a powder that can hold 114 percent of its weight in carbon. The new porous carbon material can capture carbon molecules at room temperature while letting the desire methane natural gas flow through.

"This provides an ultra-inexpensive route to a high-value material for the capture of carbon dioxide from natural gas streams," said James Tour, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Not only did we increase its capacity, we lowered the price substantially."

Currently, the goal is to simplify the process of capturing carbon from wellheads at sea, where there's limited room for bulky equipment. A-PC's ability to capture and release carbon over many cycles without degrading makes it practical. The scientists are continuing to tweak the material, and could potentially be used in the future for far more effective carbon capture.

The findings are published in the journal Applied Materials and Interfaces.

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