What are your thoughts on that "New material (that) steals oxygen from air"

[Michael.52]

To the OP: You are probably correct in saying that a new "device" would have to be developed and carried by a diver. But so what? Why be so dismissive and negative about a brand new discovery? I would think every diver should be ecstatic about the possibilities. Are the details known? No, but is the future ever known? Maybe someone else will come up with an analogous method for extracting some of the large volume of soluble nitrogen in seawater and someone else will create a digitized mixer the size of a dime that gets its power from fin strokes and - presto - AIR at your desired mix.

Here is a little more about the process written for the layman.

My point is that if there is a problem there is also a solution, regardless of whether we know it or not. Out of the box thinking has benefits.

In my OP I wrote:
"But don't get my wrong this does seem to me like a really cool invention" so I wouldn't agree with you thinking I'm being negative about it. Just saying in the current context of technology (as far as I am aware of), it's virtually useless for a SCUBA.
Also the article you linked has pretty much the same info as my primary link, in terms of the same level, which I'd define slightly above layman.
Now as not to keep sounding negative, I sincerely respect, value, and in many other aspects also share your positive approach, friend, keep it up, share it and inspire! [:

 

[2cold4california]

"Crystalline salts of a series of cationic multimetallic cobalt complexes reversibly, selectively and stoichiometrically chemisorb dioxygen in a process involving the two electron oxidation of dimetallic sites with concurrent reduction of two equivalents of sorbed O₂ to form μ-η¹,η²-peroxide ligands. The coordinating ability of counteranions, ClO₄^−, PF₆^−, BF₄^−, CF₃SO₃^− and NO₃^−determine the O₂ affinity of the deoxygenated forms, and the nitrate and triflate salts sorb dioxygen at a significantly slower rate compared to the PF₆^− and BF₄^− salts (hours versus sub-seconds at ambient temperature and pressure). Single crystal X-ray structural determination for a nitrate salt of the 2-aminoterephthalato-linked deoxy system, [{(bpbp)Co₂^II(NO₃)}₂(NH₂bdc)](NO₃)₂·2H₂O (bpbp^− = 2,6-bis(N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-tert-butylphenolato, NH₂bdc^2− = 2-amino-1,4-benzenedicarboxylato) shows that nitrate ions are coordinated as bridging ligands. These crystals undergo reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-to-SC) transformations on the stoichiometric uptake of O₂. During this process O₂ replaces the two nitrate ligands. Thus the Co ions are six coordinated in both the oxy and deoxy states. This SC-to-SC process involves the concerted fast migration of neutral dioxygen through the crystal lattice and the translational movement by 4–6 Å of at least two of nitrate anions. Rapid hydration/dehydration processes involving several molecules of co-crystallized water per unit cell accompany the reaction. Besides large atom movements involving O₂, NO₃^− and H₂O, these impressive examples of consecutive SC-to-SC-to-SC transformations involve the cleavage of four bonds, and the creation of four new bonds, in one single molecule. The solid state structural rearrangements observed provide an explanation for the slower rates of dioxygen uptake for the complexes isolated as nitrate salts, and by inference, the triflate salts, compared to the salts of more weakly coordinating counteranions, ClO₄^−, PF₆^− and BF₄^−."


Any chemical reaction that will absorb oxygen and release it is going to absorb heat and release it too. This is totally useless for scuba diving, and even if it didn't produce massive amounts of heat and acid, it still wouldn't physically store enough oxygen to supply your body.

 

[gekodivebali]

The funny thing is the inventors of this chemical did not talk of any application for divers. Then some random diver retweeted the info and it got circulated in a circular motion all around the internet. Life in the age of (dis)information!

 

[lmorin]

The funny thing is the inventors of this chemical did not talk of any application for divers. Then some random diver retweeted the info and it got circulated in a circular motion all around the internet. Life in the age of (dis)information!

Not true. At least one of the inventors did talk about it, although not in the published paper. Such "talk" would not have been appropriate in a typical scientific journal paper.

"This could be valuable for lung patients who today must carry heavy oxygen tanks with them," explains Professor McKenzie [one of the authors]. "But also divers may one day be able to leave the oxygen tanks at home and instead get oxygen from this material as it 'filters' and concentrates oxygen from surrounding air or water. A few grains contain enough oxygen for one breath, and as the material can absorb oxygen from the water around the diver and supply the diver with it, the diver will not need to bring more than these few grains."

 

[2cold4california]

From what I can understand of the chemistry, which isn't all that impressive because It's been 10 years since I was in college for this and I only got a B.S., this isn't going to be useful for scuba. It's interesting that they were able to do this, and it may prove useful for military applications, but this should produce a good amount of heat and Nitric Acid is one of the main components of the process. It may actually be done without liquid (it is SC to SC) but in the process you will release and absorb Nitric acid. That's not gonna be good, and I'd have to draw this out to figure out what exactly is going on...


Point is: It's cool but don't expect this at your LDS ever.

 

[swimmer_spe]

It might be a new rebreather system. I doubt that it will be used in Recreational/OW diving.

By the time it is on the market, I might have switched to a reabreather.

 

[Atlantic GS]

If anyone is interested in working to solve this problem, please contact me.

 

[tursiops]

My point is that if there is a problem there is also a solution, regardless of whether we know it or not.

Not really. This is the kind of simplified stuff we learn in grade school, but the reality is different.

 

[Rich Keller]

The first thing that comes to mind would be to incorporate this material into a compressor so you could just dial in the O2% you want for a nitrox fill. Not something a shop would really need, this would be for personal compressors being used where fills are not easily available and maybe in surface supplied compressors. It would require a new type of compressor but it could be done with off the shelf technology.

 

[kafkaland]

Cheaper helium would be fanatsic!

That's unlikely to happen. All helium on earth comes from alpha decay of radioactive elements inside the earth, which is then trapped in natural gas deposits and extracted with it. But what I could see in the distant future is a comeback of hydrogen-based mixes: when batteries get even more powerful and reliable, I can imagine that splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen underwater makes sense, and you have the oxygen and a diluent in one fell swoop to feed your CCR.