Russian scientists develop carbon fiber material to purify water and air

Russian scientists from St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, in collaboration with the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the Russian Academy of Sciences, have developed an absorbent material made from carbon fibers to remove toxic substances from water and air.

The university's media office announced that the scientists have obtained a patent for the production method of this material, which is notable for its low cost and environmental friendliness.

Olga Astashkina, acting head of the Department of Nanostructured, Fibrous, and Composite Materials at the university, stated that experiments showed the material can capture heavy metal ions such as copper, organic dyes like methylene blue, and toxic impurities from water, as well as remove volatile organic compounds such as toluene vapors from air.

Astashkina added that the method relies on using an aqueous solution containing fullerene, a form of carbon, to modify the absorbent material. The solution is prepared at room temperature by mixing its components.

She noted that this approach allows the material to be modified without the use of toxic organic solvents, high-temperature burning, or ultrasonic treatment. Tests have shown that adding fullerene significantly improves the material's ability to capture pollutants.