Scientists at the University of Newcastle in Australia said they have used tiny structures found in clay as a ‘template’ to create a new material capable of capturing carbon dioxide emissions.
The process uses Australian Kaolin clay, which contains tiny tubular structures called Halloysite nanotubes (HNT).
Due to their unique structure, HNT have amazing properties making them ideal for binding to a range of molecules and effectively ‘cleaning’ by absorbing, the University of Newcastle said in a statement.
Lead Researcher, and Director of the Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Professor Ajayan Vinu, said his team had developed unique ‘nanotemplating’ skills that enabled the HNT nanotubular framework to act as a kind of mould, which could then be coated with carbon-based materials to create a ‘super material’.
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