UCSC Makes Green Hydrogen Breakthrough
Researchers at University of California, Santa Cruz have discovered a way to make hydrogen that avoids traditional nonrenewable processes. (Petmal / Getty)
Green hydrogen breakthrough sees water turned to energy at room temperature
Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe. It consists of only one proton and one electron. It is an energy carrier, not an energy source, and can store and deliver usable energy. But it doesn't typically exist by itself in nature and must be produced from compounds that contain it. And those production processes typically involve natural gas, oil, or coal, none of which are renewable.
Breakthrough
UC Santa Cruz researchers have found a way to produce hydrogen using unique aluminum nanoparticles that react with water at room temperature.
Aluminum is a highly reactive metal that can strip oxygen from water molecules to generate hydrogen gas. Its widespread use in products poses no danger because aluminum instantly reacts with air to acquire a coating of aluminum oxide, which blocks further reactions.
For years, researchers have tried to find efficient and cost-effective ways to use aluminum’s water reactivity to generate clean hydrogen fuel. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have demonstrated an easily produced composite of gallium and aluminum that creates aluminum nanoparticles which react rapidly with water at room temperature to yield large amounts of hydrogen. The gallium is easily recovered for reuse after the reaction, which yields 90% of the hydrogen that could theoretically be produced from reaction of all the aluminum in the composite.[2]
“We don’t need any energy input, and it bubbles hydrogen like crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said UCSC Chemistry Professor Scott Oliver.
A U.S. patent application is pending on this technology. The international (PCT) filing on which it was based is linked here and here.
How does it convert to electricity?
Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen across an electrochemical cell similar to that of a battery to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of heat. The most effective way to convert hydrogen into oxygen is using a fuel cell. A fuel cell converts chemical energy into electrical energy. A fuel cell enables hydrogen and oxygen to blend in an electrochemical reaction. The result is production of electricity, water, and heat. Fuel cells mimic batteries since they both convert the energy generated by the electrochemical reaction into useful electric power. Nonetheless, the fuel cell will generate electric power as long as fuel, mainly hydrogen, is available.
The BFD?
As the world pivots away from fossil fuels, there will be a huge need for green energy solutions. Lithium for energy storage has significant environmental challenges and practical use.
In June 2022, Joby Aviation secretly bought hydrogen startup H2Fly. According to JoeBen Bevirt / CEO of Joby Aviation:
JoeBen Bevirt
“We have a real urgent problem that we need to solve today, aviation is one of the highest climate impacts-things we do on a daily basis and it is imperative that we reduce that environmental footprint… electric propulsion is the solution. But battery electric only moves you… between cities that are close together. When we want to move around the planet, the solution is hydrogen-electric. Hydrogen is three times higher specific energy than jet fuel.”
At Blue Innovation 2022 on September 11, Pragma Industries will demonstrate the world’s first hydrogen powered eBike. See article. You might ask “why hydrogen for an eBike”? Hydrogen, coupled with a fuel cell, has “green” advantages including:
Long range – 1 kg of hydrogen equals the energy stored in 75 Kg of lithium batteries
Rapid charging time –1 to 5 minutes to recharge a vehicle with hydrogen
Green manufacturing – 5,000 to 10,000 times less rare or noble metals used compared to batteries; easier recycling, longer lifespan and hydrogen that can be produced locally from renewable energies.
Be sure to get your free ticket for Blue Innovation 2022.
What’s next?
To make this a commercially viable solution, UCSC will need to license this technology to an industry player who has the reach and financial resources to take it to scale. Will there be a bidding war? Let’s hope so!
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