A team of scientists tested an algorithm designed to find the most promising compounds for atmospheric carbon capture.
With the help of quantum computing systems, their algorithm could help accelerate the development of a promising method that could help avert the worst effects of climate change.Atmospheric carbon capture is a promising potential tool in the fight . As is the case with most carbon capture technologies, the method is still in the early development phase, meaning a lot of work is required to make it capable of capturing the vast amounts of CO2 required.So far, the most promising version of the technology has used a class of compounds called amines that chemically bind with carbon dioxide.
Scientists are currently working on identifying the best amine compounds for the job, as even slight variations can have a great impact on the overall efficiency of the technology. Essentially, a slight difference can lead to or prevent the capture of billions of tons of additional carbon dioxide., scientists from the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the University of Kentucky outlined how they tested an algorithm that can analyze amine reactions via quantum computing.
“We are not satisfied with the current amine molecules that we use for this [carbon capture] process,” study author Qing Shao explained in a. "We can try to find a new molecule to do it, but if we want to test it using classical computing resources, it will be a very expensive calculation. Our hope is to have a fast algorithm that can screen thousands of new molecules and structures.
Carbon capture is just one aspect of the environmental problem. How about you fix greedy corporations and destructive global leaders?