Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scientists Discover How to Make Carbon Nanotubes Out of Carbon Dioxide
www.popularmechanics.com ^ | May 31, 2018 418 | By David Grossman

Posted on 10/19/2018 11:09:14 AM PDT by Red Badger

Creating the super-strong material out of something harmful could kill two birds with one stone. _______________________________________________________________________________________________

The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide is at its highest levels in hundreds of thousands of years and as matters get worse, it's more crucial than ever to find a way to reverse it. A study released earlier this month presents a novel idea with what to do with the gas humanity can't seem to stop making: Turn it into something useful. Specifically, high-quality carbon nanotubes.

The main cause of global warming, carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas that is released through using fossil fuels and processes like deforestation. While some carbon dioxide is natural and healthy, people are generating far more carbon dioxide than the Earth's natural levels. And too much of it would likely have catastrophic results.

Beyond simply producing less carbon dioxide, ideas on what to do with carbon dioxide include storage and repurposing it. That second one has always been something of a longshot, to the extent that there's an XPrize dedicated to trying to find uses for the substance.

Scientists at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, alongside private sector scientists there, have developed a non-traditional way to construct small-diameter carbon nanotubes, called CNTs, while actively using carbon dioxide. Their results have been published in Applied Materials and Interfaces.

The process relies on a type of molten salt known as lithium carbonate, or Li2CO3. More commonly used for health purposes, lithium carbonate is often used in tandem with treatment of mental health disorders. But here, the scientists melt it by heating it up to 723°C. This process creates dilithium oxide (Li2O) and releases both oxygen and carbon into the air.

Scientists are able to capture this liberated carbon and place it on an iron catalyst. When that connection occurs, it creates carbon nanotubes. The Li2O reacts with carbon dioxide already in the air and becomes lithium once again.

CNTs have a wide variety of uses. They are 100 times stronger than steel but with only one-sixth the weight, as well as remarkable thermal conductivity, and small amounts are used in thigns like high-end baseball bats and golf clubs.

There's still work to be done on the process. The iron catalyst isn't that stable and depending on how long it's in use is creating irregularly size CNTs. But, the scientists argue, figuring out how to stabilize the iron could be worth the effort. Once the electricity is figured out, the entire endeavor would only cost half of what CNTs go for on the market.

The other method of dealing with carbon, capturing it, is already being implemented across the globe. But the more uses scientists can find for carbon, the better chances are for humanity.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education; Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: carbon; co2; nanotubes
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

1 posted on 10/19/2018 11:09:14 AM PDT by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Woah! That’s great!

Carbon nanotubes today, graphine tomorrow...


2 posted on 10/19/2018 11:10:16 AM PDT by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Trees have been doing it since the dawn of time right?


3 posted on 10/19/2018 11:10:17 AM PDT by Samurai_Jack (War is cruelty, there is no use trying to reform it; the crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Sounds about right.


4 posted on 10/19/2018 11:11:19 AM PDT by VanDeKoik
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Creating the super-strong material out of something harmful could kill two birds with one stone.

Stopped right there.

Carbon dioxide is CRITICAL to life as we know it. With carbon dioxide, plants die. Plants produce oxygen. We breathe oxygen. This is second-grade science. Why are they constantly pounding this "carbon dioxide is poison" schtick?

5 posted on 10/19/2018 11:12:38 AM PDT by rarestia (Repeal the 17th Amendment and ratify Article the First to give the power back to the people!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom

Headline 15 years from now form the liberal press:

The world is running dangerously short of Carbon nanotubes, please leave your car idling at night.


6 posted on 10/19/2018 11:13:10 AM PDT by I cannot think of a name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide is at its highest levels in hundreds of thousands of years and as matters get worse...

Yeah, those archived readings from tens and hundreds of thousands of years ago show how badly we are polluted with plant food.

7 posted on 10/19/2018 11:14:30 AM PDT by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Let’s turn global warming into a space elevator!


8 posted on 10/19/2018 11:15:19 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Sessions. Trust the Plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Can we burn them for Fuel ? LOL


9 posted on 10/19/2018 11:16:10 AM PDT by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

They’ve figured out a way to make four leaf clovers.


10 posted on 10/19/2018 11:16:10 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rarestia
Why are they constantly pounding this "carbon dioxide is poison" schtick?

Because there are lots of people stupid enough to believe anything labeled "science".

11 posted on 10/19/2018 11:16:43 AM PDT by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
something harmful

Carbon dioxide is "something harmful"?

Tell me more about how leftist are pro-science.

12 posted on 10/19/2018 11:18:38 AM PDT by dead
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rarestia

“With carbon dioxide, plants die.” I believe you meant WITHOUT carbon dioxide, plants die.


13 posted on 10/19/2018 11:19:07 AM PDT by Techster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Who writes this stuff. CO2 is heavier than air. This is evidenced by all the phytoplankton in the sea. Without CO2, all plant life in the ocean dies.

So stupid.


14 posted on 10/19/2018 11:20:35 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

“This process creates dilithium”

Scotty says, “I’ll drink to that!”


15 posted on 10/19/2018 11:20:40 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom

The obvious implication is to INCREASE carbon emissions and build the/a space elevator!

This will be blamed on Trump before nightfall anyway....


16 posted on 10/19/2018 11:21:32 AM PDT by treetopsandroofs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Then last thing liberals want is a solution.


17 posted on 10/19/2018 11:21:51 AM PDT by Raycpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blueunicorn6

They’ve figured out a way to make coal.....................


18 posted on 10/19/2018 11:23:44 AM PDT by Red Badger (Nikki Haley is 100% Indian!.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: dead

Leftists are all about science until it proves Elizabeth Warren is 99.8% white.


19 posted on 10/19/2018 11:24:23 AM PDT by webheart (Grammar police on the scene.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Techster
I believe you meant WITHOUT carbon dioxide, plants die.

I did, and thank you for the correction. Was too quick to respond.

20 posted on 10/19/2018 11:25:21 AM PDT by rarestia (Repeal the 17th Amendment and ratify Article the First to give the power back to the people!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson