bioscribe- biomimetic membranes
TRANSCRIPT
bioscriBE
LEARNING FROM HUMAN LUNGS TO
SEQUESTER CARBON DIOXIDE
Studying the way human lungs work is inspiring
new technologies that remove carbon dioxide
from sources like flue stacks, preventing this
greenhouse gas from reaching our atmosphere
and warming the planet. This process of looking
upon nature as a model, measure and mentor is
Biomimicry. One can find its imprints in day to day
life viz- architectural designs, innovative shape of
airplanes, Velcro chips and in display technologies.
Traces can also be found in many engineering
problems such as hydrophobicity and harnessing
solar energy through the evolutionary mechanics
of selective advantages.
With over a third of the world’s CO2 coming from
energy production, innovations that promise to
clean up that process are certainly a breath of
fresh air.
Biomimetic membranes that can remove CO2
from other gases work upon a method called
Facilitated-Transport which is comparable to the
way human lungs get rid of CO2 when we breathe.
The researchers have developed a fixed agent
within the membrane that combines the CO2 with
moisture to form a new molecule which passes
easily through the membrane while all the other
gases are retained. The idea of such an agent was
mimicked from the Carbonic Anhydrase enzyme in
our body which allows CO2 to be removed from
our bloodstream thousands of times faster than
possible without it. The new membrane is made of
plastic, structured by nanomaterials that are
durable, eco-friendly as well as inexpensive and
thus are perfect to be used in industries from
where the CO2 emissions are of major concern.
The current methods being used for the removal
of CO2 are expensive and require the use of
certain harmful chemicals. The effectiveness is
directly proportional to the amounts of CO2
present in the gas. Thus, in flue stacks where the
CO2 concentrations are low, CO2 is first
compressed to 100 atms or more for easy storage
and transport. This compressed CO2 is then
allowed to react with the fixed agent which upon
its reaction with moisture forms chemical
bicarbonate which is then quickly transported
through the membrane while the other gases are
retained. This way the CO2 gets separated from
other flue gases.
Thus, this new technology is of great use in coal-
powered plants wherein employing the next-
generation CO2 filters could be essential in giving
us a little breathing room.
Moreover, these membranes are capable of
removing over 90% of the CO2 travelling through
flue stacks and are thus revolutionary products to
reduce energy consumption required earlier for
this process without affecting one’s pocket
adversely!
FACT OF THE WEEK:
If you laid flat your lungs, their gas exchange surface would be 70 times your body
surface area – about the size of a volley ball court!!
Bioscribe Issue 7 By- Kritika Sood
2nd
year, UIET