Researchers have developed a new substance aimed at eliminating nitrogen oxides, marking progress towards creating an air purification system suitable for actual conditions.
The Chemical Institute for Energy and the Environment (IQUEMA) has developed a new substance designed to eliminate nitrogen oxides, representing a significant move towards establishing an air purification system for real-life applications.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are gases comprised of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, primarily produced during fossil fuel combustion. Due to their detrimental effects on both health and the environment, these gases have become a focus of scientific research in recent years. A team from the Chemical Institute for Energy and the Environment (IQUEMA) at the University of Cordoba has created a photocatalytic material that effectively reduces these gases, achieving comparable results to previously developed solutions, but through a more cost-effective and sustainable method.
Photocatalysis: Harnessing Light for Urban Cleanliness
Certain chemical reactions can be enhanced with light. For nitrogen oxides, light energy interacts with a catalyst, enabling the oxidation of these gases in the atmosphere and transforming them into nitrates and nitrites.
Laura Marín, the lead author of this research, shared that unlike other photocatalytic reactions, which only function under ultraviolet light, their new material operates effectively with visible light. This is beneficial since visible light is far more plentiful and makes up most of the solar spectrum, leading to a more efficient use of solar energy.
The research team formulated a new compound by combining two distinct materials: carbon nitride (which activates reactions with visible light) and layered double hydroxides, which catalyze the reaction and are also economical and easily scalable in production.
Professor Ivana Pavlovic, a co-researcher, noted that the new method can convert 65% of nitrogen oxides when exposed to visible light, a percentage comparable to other photocatalysts. However, this new approach utilizes minerals like magnesium and aluminum, which are “more affordable, naturally abundant, and environmentally friendly,” as opposed to previous photocatalysts that included harmful substances like cadmium, lead, or graphene.
Luis Sánchez, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Director of IQUEMA, highlighted that this work is a vital step towards developing a large-scale system capable of cleansing the air in real-world environments, thus addressing one of the prevalent pollutant gases in urban areas, which can lead to severe long-term health issues.
