CBS Information
Cambridge, England — Scientists have lengthy stated chopping methane emissions is vital to addressing local weather change, however many massive industries aren’t readily capable of curb their manufacturing of the dangerous greenhouse fuel. A British firm says it has a solution: Flip methane into one thing else.
Methane is a menace. Local weather scientists say the invisible fuel warms the Earth’s ambiance 84 instances quicker than carbon dioxide. It is launched into the ambiance by natural materials, akin to meals waste, rotting at landfill websites, sewage remedy services and by the digestive techniques of cows.
Levidian — a local weather tech enterprise in Cambridge, England — got down to sort out this local weather change problem, by giving methane a makeover.
“The magic occurs in right here,” the corporate’s CEO John Hartley instructed CBS Information as he led our workforce on a guided tour of Levidian’s patented LOOP system — a machine with an enormous steel hopper formed like a balloon.
The know-how makes use of microwave vitality and a particular nozzle system to separate methane molecules into the fuel’ element components — hydrogen and carbon — and captures them.
Hydrogen is more and more wanted, as it may be used to energy factories, vans, ships and different equipment. Levidian stated it is a clear gas, as a result of, when burned, it yields warmth and vitality, however the one emission is water vapor, no carbon dioxide.
The carbon from the broken-down methane, in the meantime, falls into the hopper as a strong referred to as graphene, which has been recognized to science for less than about 20 years and which is usually touted because the strongest materials on the earth.
Dr. Ellie Galanis, head of business growth at Levidian, was eager to point out off a harvest of graphene from the LOOP hopper on the firm’s lab.
“It is such an thrilling time to be concerned in graphene,” stated the self-described “graphene geek,” shaking a dice crammed with black, powder-like materials. “It is superior.”
CBS Information
Galanis and her workforce have been busy engaged on methods to make use of the graphene Levidian produces to spice up the sturdiness of on a regular basis merchandise.
“While you put graphene into the tire tread, you can also make it stronger. You may make it last more and you can also make it extra gas environment friendly,” she stated of 1 utility.
They’ve additionally tried including it to concrete.
“With out graphene, it tends to crumble so much simpler, however with graphene it is a lot stronger,” she stated.
The super-strong however versatile materials may even be included within the manufacture of medical gloves.
“When surgeons do the ‘snap take a look at,’ they’re making an attempt to examine if it’ll break, and that does not occur while you add graphene in — it makes them a lot stronger and extra puncture resistant,” she instructed CBS Information.
Scientists say graphene additionally helps increase battery life in electrical automobiles, and it may be blended into plastic to assist manufactures use much less petroleum-derived supplies of their bottles.
Researchers solely found graphene 20 years in the past, on the College of Manchester, and Levidian sees years of development forward for the product.
“While you get in your automobile, you’ll have graphene enhanced tires that last more. The battery in that automobile, if it is electrical, will take you additional as a result of it’ll have extra capability to cost quicker, and the concrete you utilize within the constructing you go into shall be extra sturdy and have a smaller carbon footprint,” she predicted, including that even “the garments that you simply put on may need graphene in them in order that they’re extra sustainable.”
Levidian says its LOOP system has now reached the U.S., with Georgia-based cable maker Southwire utilizing it to scale back its carbon footprint.