What’s in the atmosphere and how can we use it?

Many solutions are up in the air – quite literally. The atmosphere holds many valuable raw materials that can be utilized in a variety of ways. We can use a number of airborne gases to make products that are important to humankind and save resources and energy while we’re at it.

For instance, we have been able to recover oxygen and nitrogen from the atmosphere through air distillation for a century already. Hospitals use liquid nitrogen to freeze important substances and liquid oxygen to treat patients with breathing difficulties. Rarer gases are also in regular use.

“The gaseous molecules in the atmosphere are already in good use, but there is still a need for more selective separation processes that consume less energy and for more efficient recycling,” says Nima Rezaei, assistant professor of gas separation at LUT University’s separation science department.

LUT University’s researchers are exploring the use of carbon dioxide in products such as steel and pharmaceuticals, ammonia in fertilizers, and xenon as a safe anesthetic.

Read about atmospheric gases in satellites, phones and light bulbs: https://www.lut.fi/en/articles/whats-atmosphere-and-how-can-we-use-it