Greenhouse Effect Greenhouse Effects

Any gaseous compound present in the atmosphere with the potential of absorbing infrared radiation, therefore trapping and holding the heat in the atmosphere, are known as greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. The process of the gases trapping infrared radiation is known as the greenhouse effect. As the greenhouse effect keeps the Earth’s surface warm, thus gives it the ability to sustain life, it is a natural process and is extremely important. Some of the natural ways CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere include decomposition, ocean release and respiration. Although the greenhouse effect is a natural process and is essential to sustain life, an increase in human activities and technologies has exponentially

For example, the greenhouse effect contributes to global warming causing the polar ice caps to melt, which increases the sea levels and causes floods. Greenhouse gasses also alter the weather, as when the temperature increases, evaporation of water does as well. This leads to an increase in rainfall and dry soil due to evaporation, both of which negatively impact agriculture, due to lack of ideal soil and an excess amount of rain, which negatively affects the yield of vegetation. As the concern about greenhouse gases, or rather carbon dioxide increases, so does the urgency to find a method to reduce the CO2 emissions. Fortunately a method, Geosequestration or Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), has been discovered and is said to be a promising method for reducing the amount of CO2 being emitted. CCS is a carbon capturing method, which captures CO2 from industrial facilities, compresses it for transportation, then transports it through either ships or pipeline to a safe and permanent underground storage, preventing it from being emitted into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming or other environmental issues (GERC,

Therefore like any other process, CSS contains different components that work together to ensure that this method is effective. One of the most vital components of CSS is the technology that is responsible for capturing the CO2, which are carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are products of nanotechnology, which is the modification and control of matter at the nanoscale, molecular and atomic levels, in the size range of approximately 1-100nm. Extremely tiny cylinders made of carbon atoms are known as carbon nanotubes. Carbon atoms are used to create the nanotubes, because carbonaceous materials possess qualities that render them to be suitable materials when it comes to high gas adsorption. For example the qualities possessed include having a high surface area, a large pore, volume, and low density(Khalili, 2013). There are various types of nanotubes present in today’s society, ranging from single-walled carbon nanotubes, which have a wall that is 1 atom thick, to multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs), which have multiple cylinders/tubes nestled with each other. All carbon nanotubes consist of concentric cylinders, and have a low density as they are hollow cylinders made from carbon atoms. The appearance of nanotubes are similar to the one of chicken wire rolled into a tube, and can be imagined as a graphene sheet rolled in the form of a seamless cylinder(Ewels, 2008; Martinez, 2008). The