Carbon nanofibres manufactured out of 'thin air'

[Exterminator]

Scientists in the US have found a way to take carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and make carbon nanofibres, a valuable manufacturing material.
Their solar-powered system runs just a few volts of electricity through a vat full of a hot, molten salt; CO2 is absorbed and the nanofibres gradually assemble at one of the electrodes.
It currently produces 10g in an hour.
The team suggests it could be scaled up and make an impact on CO2 emissions, but other researchers are unsure.
Nonetheless, it could offer a cheaper way of making carbon nanofibres than existing methods.
"Until now, carbon nanofibres have been too expensive for many applications," said Prof Stuart Licht of George Washington University. He was speaking at the autumn meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33998697

That's.. interesting. Carbon nanofibres are already used extensively in electronics, and if they could be made cheaper, things like airplane and vehicle bodies can be manufactured from them, making them more fuel efficient. Not to mention much, much cheaper.

[Bert]

Interresting yeah, Cheaper for us and better for the climate.

'"He also suggested that the system could provide "a reasonable path to bring down CO2 levels in the atmosphere".

"But if your idea is to take CO2 out of the atmosphere and produce so many carbon nanofibres that you make a difference to climate change - I'd be extremely surprised if you could do that.