In other words, when exposing to flue gas the material will allow other chemicals such as nitrogen or methane to flow through while capturing the CO₂. The scientists have nano-engineered the porous organic polymer, which comprises minute particles that are each 500 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair follicle. Every one of these particles consists of nanometer wide pores which can capture and store CO₂ molecules while allowing other molecules to pass by.

Porous organic polymers of the type developed by the VUC team are a promising CO₂ capture technology. The team is already considering the next research step, which could see light being used as a trigger to release the CO₂ captured by the polymer. Following light exposure the polymer’s structure would shift so that the CO₂ molecules can be squeezed out of the nano-pores, thereby providing a method to separate CO₂ to be stored and that to be used, for instance for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).