New 'smart paint' absorbs CO2
The new paint reacts with carbon dioxide to absorb harmful emissions
The latest development in carbon neutral housing is a paint which could absorb harmful carbon emissions.
Developed by Dr Rachel Armstrong of University College London, the new "smart paint" could turn buildings into carbon sinks, the New Scientist reports.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, carbon emissions from domestic housing currently account for around 27% of the UK's total CO2 emissions.
Exactly how successful the paint - which was created by dissolving salts and esters (ubiquitous chemical compounds found in everything from plastic to nitroglycerin) in oil droplets - is at removing CO2 from the atmosphere in this way has not yet been tested.
However, the substance could go some way to helping the UK meet its mandatory carbon reduction targets for 2020 - a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
It works by reacting with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to produce calcium carbonate - the main constituent of limestone - and alcohol.
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The resulting "biolime" will provide extra strength and insulation as well as soaking up carbon emissions, says Dr Armstrong, who has high hopes for her invention.
She also plans to adapt the technique for use underwater to create an artificial limestone reef beneath Venice and stop the city sinking.
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