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This little machine could mean cars and planes that don’t damage the environment in future
Scientists at the University of Cambridge think they’ve found the key to make cleaner fuel for cars and aeroplanes.
They’ve created a device called a flow reactor.
The flow reactor is designed to capture a harmful chemical called carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, then convert it into something called synthetic gas or syngas.
It also relies on solar power, which means it uses sunlight to work.
The scientists say the flow reactor was inspired by photosynthesis – the process by which plants turn sunlight into food – and it uses no outside power, batteries or cables, other than the Sun.
How does it work?
The scientists behind the discovery: Professor Erwin Reiser (left) and Dr Sayan Kar (right)
The scientists on the project – Professor Erwin Reiser and Dr Sayan Kar – told BBC Newsround how the flow reactor works.
A material in the reactor captures the carbon dioxide from the air at night, acting like a “sponge” they explained.
“During the day, sunlight converts the trapped carbon dioxide into fuel using a catalyst.”
Why is the invention important?
The machine gets to work at night
Most cars and aeroplanes use fossil fuels to run.
These fossil fuels, when burned, release a harmful chemical called carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
Over the years, a build up of carbon dioxide and other gases has created a layer around the Earth, trapping heat in our atmosphere.
This phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect, and is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.
Global warming leads to climate change and extreme weather events around the world.
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles in the US are an example of how climate change can be damaging to people across the world
But the team at Cambridge think their new invention could help put an end to all that.
Sayan and Erwin explained that “carbon dioxide can also be useful if we convert it into a fuel instead.”
Erwin said: “Instead of continuing to dig up and burn fossil fuels to produce the products we have come to rely on, we can get all the CO2 we need directly from the air and reuse it.”
They say another benefit of the flow reactor is that it captures carbon dioxide in the air to make fuel, making it even more effective to help combat global warming.
The team are now building a bigger version of the device which they hope to start testing in the spring.
