Scientists explore the use of inexpensive clay for carbon capture

Could clay be used for carbon sequestration? A team of scientists is exploring whether clay can be used as an inexpensive way of capturing and storing carbon, Science Daily reports. Led by scientists at Sandia National Laboratories, the researchers are combining computer modeling with laboratory experiments to study how a certain kind of clay can be used to soak up and store carbon dioxide.

How does it work? The research uses molecular simulations to explore how water, CO2 and clay interact and how the chemical properties of the tiny cavities in clay — called nanopores — can be engineered to capture carbon. Inexpensive, stable and abundant, clay also has a high surface area, which could reduce the cost of direct-air capture.