The material was theorized over a century ago, but had been written off as “impossible” to manufacture. Never underestimate what can happen when you leave a compound in the reaction chamber over the weekend! Upsalite (named in honor of Uppsala University where it was discovered) has an incredibly high surface area and is capable of adsorption, not absorption. Adsorption adheres atoms and molecules to its surface using surface energy, which is comparable to surface tension. Upsalite may be used in drug delivery and managing humidity in electronics, while future applications might include cleaning up oil spills and other toxic waste.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 20:11:04 +0000