3 ms·
Chemist here. Looks promising for CO2 scrubbing ! However, my instincts would keep me cautious around this chemical. The formate ion forms formic acid and even
by cbracketdash 4y ago
Chemist here. Looks promising for CO2 scrubbing !
However, my instincts would keep me cautious around this chemical. The formate ion forms formic acid and eventually formaldehyde which is extremely toxic to humans. In addition, many organoaluminum compounds (i.e DIBAL) can cause serious damage (like blowing up labs... seriously). If a bunch of this stuff was in the atmosphere, it could be quite dangerous to human life.
Otherwise, I am quite interested to seeing how this could be implemented.
- MgB2 4y agoThe compound presented here is, however, not an organoaluminum compound. Those have Al-C bonds and are indeed very reactive. Aluminum formate has the Al3+-ion coordinated only by oxygen, and will certainly not exhibit the reactivity you described.
- brilee 4y agoChemist here. Formate does indeed act as a reducing agent under appropriate conditions, but its byproduct is typically CO2 gas, not formaldehyde (HCOO- -> CO2 + H+ + 2e-). Aldehydes are generally unstable with respect to disproproportionation and are therefore unlikely reaction products. Organoaluminum compounds are molecules with direct Al-C bonds, whereas these are effectively normal ionic salts with some unusual unit cell structure. Conflating DiBAl with aluminum formate is akin to conflating chlorine gas with clhoride anion...
- refurb 4y agoFormate ions can disproportionate: HCO2H -> CO2 + H2 HCO2H + H2 -> HCHO + H2O However, aluminum salts of formate are likely more stable? You usually need formic acid and heat to generate hydrogen.
- kragen 4y agoalso if you get trace amounts of formaldehyde out the smokestack it isn't going to last more than a few hours in the environment. every living thing produces formaldehyde