A team of scientists in England have found a better way to capture carbon from power plant emissions.
The key to their new and improved technique is patented carbon-derived biomass material called Starbons. Starbons, which was pioneered a decade ago by scientists at the University of York, is made using biomass waste like food peelings and seaweed. Its key attribute is its porosity. Lots of tiny holes allow Starbons to capture lots of CO2.
Current carbon capture technologies mostly rely on liquid solutions, which involve expensive and energy-intensive production processes. Initial testing suggests carbon capture filters made with Starbons traps 65 percent more CO2 than other methods. The material is also more selective -- better able to capture CO2 when it is mixed with gases like nitrogen.