A new porous material has been discovered by the U.S. researchers that can soak up heavy metals from liquids like a sponge. One of the potential applications of the new material could be using it to take out pollutants from water.
The new material is in the form of rigid foam made from a gel in which most of the liquid has been substituted by gas. While the classic aerogels, which are usually made of silica or carbon, are not able to absorb any light, Mercouri Kanatzidis, a researcher with Northwestern University in Evanston stated that they have made aerogels from chalcogenides, which are used in semiconductors. These new aerogels soak up light and can be changed in composition from one kind to another.
The team experimented the new gel in a solution that contained smaller metal ions and larger, highly toxic metal ions such as mercury. Stunningly, it removed almost all the mercury from the solution along with a number of organic compounds. But, the solution used for the test contained platinum, which is very costly for extensive environmental use.
Once they are out with some cheaper alternative to platinum, the new material could be used extensively to save the water bodies, which are in catastrophic danger.
Via: Reuters
