Using Nanoparticles to sequester Carbon Dioxide


 

We understand the chemistry of most materials very well but when these materials are made very tiny called nano-particles then the chemistry often changes dramatically. For instance silver a metal, silvery and shiny becomes yellow. Nano particles of many rocks such as silicon dioxide and magnesium and calcium salts behave such that they can on the surface hold onto large quantities of carbon and carbon dioxide. It has been found recently that when glaciers rub against rocks the fine powder or silt produced is often the size of nano particles and this salts can also sequester large amounts of carbon and carbon dioxide when spread over some ground. Rock powder has long been used to improve the physical properties of soil such as water retention and drainage but it’s also been found that this canal store vast amounts of carbon dioxide. Rocks are ground down either by natural means or mechanical means into a very fine nano particle powder and spreading this over a land surface enables it to remove large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere called abiotic carbon dioxide removal pathway. Basalt stands out as not only being a very abundant rock resource but one with high weatherability and many plant nutrients in it and its ability also to sequester carbon dioxide now can make this a very valuable material to put over soil to improve plant growth.


Photo

This Image of Lead Nanoparticles is the outcome of the research works done by Woman Nano-scientist Dr.T.Theivasanthi of International Research center, Kalasalingam University (India). This research work in Silver Nanoparticles has been published in the cover image of the journal- Nano Biomed.Eng. 2012, 4(2). Dr.T.Theivasanthi is a World Record Holder. Her World Records are in Limca Book of Records- "The world’s lowest priced graphene" and "Green Vegetable Powder for Diabetes". An article about her, “World Records Holder Scientist” has been published in the leading nanotechnology magazine- NANODIGEST. Nano Biomed.Eng. 2012, 4(2).

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