Scientists say they have found a new way to generate green hydrogen from water at room temperature in what could be a step toward a clean and renewable energy source.
The production of green hydrogen itself isn’t anything new. This is a form of H2 typically made using water electrolysis powered by renewable energy such as solar or wind energy.
UC Santa Cruz researchers have discovered a technique to finish that process without the need for an electric input, all at ambient temperature. They have done so through the development of a special aluminum composite that causes a reaction with the water at room temperature. Because aluminum is a naturally reactive substance, it will cause oxygen to separate from water molecules while leaving H2 behind.
Aluminum won’t necessarily do this on its own, however. This is because the metal creates an aluminum oxide layer at ambient temperature, effectively shielding it from reacting with water. What scientists have discovered is that by using an easily produced composite of gallium and aluminum, it is possible to get this material to react with water at room temperature, producing hydrogen.
“We don’t need any energy input, and it bubbles hydrogen like crazy,” stated Scott Oliver, a chemical professor at UC Santa Cruz, in a press release from the school. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” For many years, it has been known that this mixture of aluminum and gallium generates hydrogen. However, the UC Santa Cruz researchers discovered that raising the gallium concentration in the composite also raised the hydrogen generation.
“Our method uses a small amount of aluminum, which ensures it all dissolves into the majority gallium as discrete nanoparticles,” stated Oliver. The drawback is that gallium is somewhat costly, even if this procedure allows for its recovery and subsequent reuse.
The fact that hydrogen fuel cells are still not widely adopted is another drawback. Although it is feasible to burn hydrogen directly as fuel, doing so can be dangerous. In order to store hydrogen in useable quantities, tanks must frequently be subjected to extreme pressure.
It remains to be seen if the UCSC process can be scaled up for the commercial production of green hydrogen.
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