New Solar-powered Invention Makes Hydrogen Fuel Out of Thin Air
Researchers have developed a solar-powered device to produce hydrogen fuel directly using moisture in the atmosphere.
The prototype can produce hydrogen with a purity greater than 99 percent and can operate in dry air as low as 4% relative humidity, according to its inventors. They claim that the device will allow hydrogen production without carbon emissions in areas where water is scarce.
Hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel, produces only water when it is combusted. Pure hydrogen is rare in nature and requires an energy input to make it. Large-scale production often involves large-scale fossil fuels that produce carbon dioxide.
Dr. Gang Li, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne in chemical engineering, was the lead author of the study. He said that the hydrogen-producing device could either be powered by wind or solar energy.
In a monitored test, a prototype produced hydrogen for 12 consecutive days. Li stated that one of the prototypes produced hydrogen for more than 12 consecutive days. Li added that it was left to run on its own for eight months.
The device is made of a spongey material and a hygroscopic fluid – a liquid that absorbs moisture from the air. It functions in a similar way to silica gel sachets. Electrolysis is the process by which water molecules that have been absorbed are split at electrodes to form hydrogen and oxygen gases.
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