Researchers find polymer that absorbs polluting hydrocarbons (including car fumes)

One of the unwanted byproducts of the oil cracking industry, as well as internal combustion engines (especially diesels), are aromatic hydrocarbons. They're called aromatic because they smell - but some of them are really toxic. We're speaking about solvents like benzene, toluene or xylene (the three are nicknamed BTX).
When there's a problem, people try to find a solution and here comes a group of researchers at the Inorganic Chemistry Department at the Universidad de Granada in Spain. They claim they have created a gel that absorbs BTX, called "carbon monolithic aerogel." Besides a (claimed) high power of absorption, this aerogel can be reused many times, allowing easy disposal of BTX. It's also rattle- and movement-resistant, which would allow easy installation in tailpipes.

This work has been published in specialist magazines "Carbon", "Journal of Physical Chemistry" and "Langmuir".

[Source: Universidad de Granada via Econoticias]