Materials scientist Muhammad Rahman and his collaborators have found a way to incorporate crystalline molecules
Wood is a sustainable, renewablea structural material that we already use extensively,” Rahman said. “Our engineered wood has shown greater strength than conventional raw wood.”
To achieve this goal, the network of cellulose fibers that give wood its strength is first refined through a process known as delignification.
“Wood consists of three main components:cellulose hemicellulose and lignin,” Rahman said. “Lignin is what gives wood its color, so when you remove the lignin, the wood becomes colorless.” Lignin removal is a fairly simple process that involves a two-step chemical treatment using environmentally friendly substances. After removing the lignin, we use bleach or hydrogen peroxide to remove the hemicellulose.”
Next, the delignified wood is soaked ina solution containing microparticles of a metal-organic framework, or MOF, known as Calgary framework 20 (CALF-20). MOFs are sorbent high surface area materials used for their ability to adsorb carbon dioxide molecules into their pores. “MOF particles are readily incorporated into and attached to cellulose channels through favorable surface interactions,” said Soumyabrata Roy, a Rice postdoctoral fellow and lead author of the study.
MOFs are one of several emergingcarbon capture technologies developed to address anthropogenic climate change. “Currently, there is no biodegradable sustainable substrate for the use of carbon dioxide absorbing materials,” Rahman said. "Our MOF-reinforced wood provides an adaptable support platform for sorbent use in a variety of carbon dioxide applications."
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