Scientists create a material that captures CO2 and turns it into organic matter

The newly developed method sucks CO₂ molecules out of the air, without expending much energy in the process. The material can then potentially be turned into an ingredient for packaging or clothing.

The secret weapon is a porous coordination polymer (PCP) made up of zinc metal ions.

Those ions are able to selectively capture CO₂ molecules with 10 times greater efficiency than other polymer.

What's more, the material is reusable, and was still running at maximum efficiency after 10 reaction cycles.

The PCP is essentially working as a molecular sieve, able to recognize molecules by size and shape. Once the material has done its CO₂-sucking job, it can be reused or recycled as an organic polymer. Organic polymers are able to be turned into polyurethane, which is used in clothing, packaging, domestic appliances and a variety of other areas.

It's clear that action needs to be taken, and fast. This new CO₂ conversion method may well become very important to us in the future, not least because it turns something we don't want into something we do.

One of the greenest approaches to carbon capture is to recycle the carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals, such as cyclic carbonates which can be used in petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.