The contribution researcher produces hydrogen from sea water and old beverage cans first appeared at the online magazine Basic Thinking. You can start the day well every morning via our newsletter update.
Mit engineers have developed a process in which recycled aluminum from beverage cans and sea water react to climate -friendly hydrogen. The process can apparently also be implemented on an industrial scale.
Hydrogen is considered one of the hopefuls of the energy transition because there is no CO2 when burning. The problem: production is often anything but clean. Because companies often use natural gas for hydrogen production, which releases large amounts of greenhouse gases.
Co-researcher Therefore, have developed a process that can be used to win hydrogen from recycled aluminum doses and sea water. This process is particularly sustainable, cheap and simple. The basic idea: aluminum reacts with water and produces hydrogen.
A protective oxide layer usually prevents this reaction. But the researchers found that this layer can be removed with a drop of a certain metal mixture (gallium indium). What remains is pure aluminum, which could be converted into hydrogen with sea water – without additional energy supply.
Hydrogen made of aluminum and sea water
The researchers calculated the entire process from the beginning to the end. From collecting the aluminum cans to chemical treatment to the transport of hydrogen. The result: around 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) would be created per kilogram of hydrogen, which is an extremely low value compared to other approaches.
Because the conventional method via natural gas comes to about eleven kilograms of CO2 per kilo of hydrogen. The method is particularly environmentally friendly if producers would use recycled aluminum. This not only saves emissions, but also energy. The cost of the procedure is about nine US dollars per kilogram of hydrogen. This is comparable to the production of green hydrogen from wind or solar energy.
Hydrogen to go
The researchers have also thought about how their procedure could be implemented in broad practice. Small pellets made of pretreated aluminum could therefore be brought to petrol stations as a “fuel”. There is a portion of sea water to generate hydrogen directly on site. The sometimes dangerous transport of gas would be eliminated.
Böhmit is created as a by -product of the procedure. This is a mineral that is used in industry and can be reselled. According to the researchers, the procedure also works in small format. Specifically, a kind of water bottle could produce enough hydrogen for an e-bike.
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As a tech industry expert, I find the development of producing hydrogen from sea water and old beverage cans to be a significant breakthrough in renewable energy research. Hydrogen is a clean and efficient fuel source that has the potential to play a key role in the transition to a more sustainable energy future.
By utilizing sea water and old beverage cans as sources for hydrogen production, researchers are not only finding innovative ways to reduce waste and utilize abundant resources, but also creating a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for producing hydrogen.
This research has the potential to not only advance the field of renewable energy, but also contribute to reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate change. I believe that continued investment in research and development in this area will be crucial in accelerating the adoption of hydrogen as a viable energy source on a larger scale.
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