Scientists have managed to turn CO2 from a gas back into solid “coal”, in a breakthrough which could potentially help remove the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Jacqueline Mullin. In typical CO 2 capture processes, the CO 2 gas is pressurised to a liquid, which is then transported to a suitable site and stored underground. It is also the site for a scientific breakthrough; an experiment to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) and turn it into stone - forever. “While we can’t literally turn back time, turning carbon dioxide back into coal and burying it back in the ground is a bit like rewinding the emissions clock,” Daeneke said in a statement. The new catalytic process converts CO2 gas to flakes of solid carbon A NEW carbon capture process has been developed that turns carbon dioxide gas into solid carbon that is easier to store. So it is essentially like turning CO2 back into a brown coal." In a study published in Science, researchers have outlined a method that allows for turning atmospheric carbon into solid rock in just a few months time. At Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, David Goldberg is on the forefront of developing technologies with the ability to capture CO2 and turn it into stone. CO2 slowly converts into solid flakes of carbon as they detach from the liquid metal surface in this vial. (Torben Daeneke) What do you get when you mix carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide with water and then inject it into the dark, fine-grained volcanic rock known as basalt? Stephen Johnson Scientists can now turn CO2 in the air into solid coal The cost-effective method could revolutionize how we remove carbon from the atmosphere, particularly in regard to climate change. Turning CO2 into Solid Rock. “To date, CO2 has only been converted into a solid at extremely high temperatures, making it industrially unviable. According to scientists from Columbia University, University of Iceland, University of Toulouse and Reykjavik Energy, you get solid rock.