Carbon Dioxide glass: source: Wikipedia This diamond anvil is used to create pressures of several hundred thousand atmospheres. Carbon, silicon and germanium are the first three members of group IV of the periodic table of elements. Why then is CO2 a gas whereas SiO2 and GeO2 form a solid, glass like substance?
Mario Santoro and colleagues from the European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy and INFM recenttly discovered such a form of solid carbon dioxide.
"The new material, which was made by applying extreme pressures to normal solid carbon dioxide, resembles window glass on the atomic scale. Dubbed amorphous carbonia, the substance could be important for understanding the interiors of gas-giant planets in which carbon dioxide is squeezed at high pressures." (Nature 441 857)
"Another important implication is that mixtures of a-carbonia and a-silica could, in principle be used to make new amorphous glasses that would be very hard and stiff and likely stable at room temperature," adds Santoro. "Small amounts of these new glasses could be of interest for technology applications like hard and resistant coatings for micro-electronics, for example." PhysicsWeb
Turning carbon dioxide into glass form might even be a solution to stop its greenhouse effect.
Sources:
Abstract of paper from Nature
Editor's Summary; Nature
sir
this is an exciting and very useful article for the society. this stimulates and encourages the research in solid state chemistry as well as the physics of the glasses.
hoping for the best results in this regard
madhu trivikram
Very insightful article, it's actually the first time I learn about this glass making method, I really hope this is a practical safe method. We have to find new ways to use the carbon dioxide because we have plenty of it... Producing glass would be a good start but I don't think it's enough to reduce the greenhouse effect.
Double glazed windows
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