U.Okay. agency cracks the code to transform dangerous methane emissions into helpful hydrogen and graphene

Cambridge, England — Scientists have lengthy mentioned slicing methane emissions is vital to addressing local weather change, however many huge industries aren’t readily in a position to curb their manufacturing of the dangerous greenhouse gasoline. A British firm says it has a solution: Flip methane into one thing else. 

Methane is a menace. Local weather scientists say the invisible gasoline warms the Earth’s environment 84 occasions sooner than carbon dioxide. It is launched into the environment by natural materials, akin to meals waste, rotting at landfill websites, sewage remedy amenities and by the digestive techniques of cows. 

Levidian — a local weather tech enterprise in Cambridge, England — got down to deal with this local weather change problem, by giving methane a makeover.

“The magic occurs in right here,” the corporate’s CEO John Hartley informed CBS Information as he led our workforce on a guided tour of Levidian’s patented LOOP system — a machine with an enormous metallic hopper formed like a balloon.

The expertise makes use of microwave vitality and a particular nozzle system to separate methane molecules into the gasoline’ element elements — 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 mentioned it is a clear gasoline, 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 stable known as graphene, which has been identified to science for under about 20 years and which is commonly touted because the strongest materials on the planet.  

Dr. Ellie Galanis, head of business improvement at Levidian, was eager to indicate 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,” mentioned the self-described “graphene geek,” shaking a dice crammed with black, powder-like materials. “It is superior.”

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.

“Whenever you put graphene into the tire tread, you may make it stronger. You can also make it last more and you may make it extra gasoline environment friendly,” she mentioned of 1 utility.

They’ve additionally tried including it to concrete. 

“With out graphene, it tends to crumble lots simpler, however with graphene it is a lot stronger,” she mentioned.

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 attempting to examine if it should break, and that does not occur once you add graphene in — it makes them a lot stronger and extra puncture resistant,” she informed CBS Information.

Scientists say graphene additionally helps increase battery life in electrical autos, 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 progress forward for the product.

“Whenever 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 should have extra capability to cost sooner, and the concrete you utilize within the constructing you go into might be extra sturdy and have a smaller carbon footprint,” she predicted, including that even “the garments that you just put on might 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.