Abstract:
A canister filled with newly developed "nanocubes" is able to hold several times more gas than an empty one. These crystals were created by scientists working for chemical giant BASF as part of an effort to generate clean energy. Just a thimbleful has the surface area of a football pitch. What's more, they are formed in a reaction so simple it could be done in a school chemistry lab. The crystals represent part of the company's commitment to the emerging field of nanotechnology. In the case of these nanocubes, it is only the pores that are nano-scale - the crystals themselves are the size of salt grains.