Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) have developed a new crystalline material that sucks oxygen out of the air. In fact 10 liters, roughly a bucketful, is enough to absorb all the oxygen in a room.

The idea that this substance can absorb oxygen is actually not surprising, many materials on Earth do this: the addition of oxygen causes food to go rancid, wine to change flavor, and iron to rust.

“This mechanism is well known from all breathing creatures on earth: Humans and many other species use iron, while other animals, like crabs and spiders, use copper. Small amounts of metals are essential for the absorption of oxygen,” explains Professor Christine McKenzie of SDU’s Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Pharmacy.

What makes their new substance remarkable is its ability to release this oxygen on command. When it has been absorbed the oxygen can be kept in the crystal until you decide to release it by gently adding heat or creating a vacuum around the material.

“The [cobalt based] material is both a sensor, and a container for oxygen – we can use it to bind, store and transport oxygen – like a solid artificial hemoglobin,” explains McKenzie. “It is also interesting that the material can absorb and release oxygen many times without losing the ability. It is like dipping a sponge in water, squeezing the water out of it and repeating the process over and over again”

“It can be compared to an oxygen tank containing pure oxygen under pressure – the difference is that this material can hold three times as much oxygen,” says McKenzie. “This could be valuable for lung patients who today must carry heavy oxygen tanks with them. 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.”