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A team of researchers has developed a new type of material that could make the process of separating gases cleaner and more energy-efficient.

The breakthrough, in the journal Nature Chemistry, could play a key role in reducing carbon emissions from industrial gas use, such as in natural gas production, carbon capture and hydrogen generation—important steps in the move away from fossil fuels.

Gas separation is widely used to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from mixed gases, but current methods are often costly and energy-intensive. The new materials, developed by researchers at the Universities of Strathclyde and Sheffield, are crystals that behave in a unique way. They capture CO₂ using a mechanism inspired by how it dissolves in some liquids, rather than filtering it through tiny holes like many current technologies.

The crystals are lined with fluorine-based chains, which respond to pressure by creating temporary openings that trap CO₂ gas. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is pushed out in the process, resulting in a cleaner product.

Importantly, the team can fine-tune the material to work under different conditions by adjusting the length of the molecular chains inside the crystals. This flexibility could make the materials suitable for a wide range of industrial uses.

Professor Ashleigh Fletcher from the University of Strathclyde's Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, said, "Our discovery that non-porous silver coordination polymers can selectively capture COâ‚‚ through a dissolution-like mechanism opens up exciting possibilities for next-generation gas separation technologies."

By offering precise control over gas separation with less energy input, it is hoped that the discovery could lead to more sustainable and cost-effective methods in sectors including energy, manufacturing and environmental management.