New Alloy Could Produce Hydrogen Fuel From Sunlight

Chris

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May 30, 2008
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Scientists have determined that an inexpensive semiconductor material can be "tweaked" to generate hydrogen from water using sunlight, a revelation that may have the potential to bolster the renewable energy sector.

The research, published in the Physical Review Journal, was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and led by scientists at the UK Center for Computational Sciences and the University of Louisville Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research.

The team demonstrated that an alloy formed by a two percent substitution of antimony in gallium nitride has electrical properties that enable solar light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through a process known as photoelectrochemical water splitting. The researchers found that when the alloy is submerged in water and exposed to sunlight, the chemical bond between the hydrogen and oxygen molecules break, allowing the hydrogen to be collected to separately.

Scientists: New Alloy Could Produce Hydrogen Fuel From Sunlight - International Business Times
 
Cool, how's about we divert the 50 odd billion Obama has earmarked for that fuckin' high speed rail bullshit that will lose money to this project? Great news though, but no mention of what the time horizon is. I'm assuming a number of years.
 
Cool, how's about we divert the 50 odd billion Obama has earmarked for that fuckin' high speed rail bullshit that will lose money to this project? Great news though, but no mention of what the time horizon is. I'm assuming a number of years.

Nothing wrong with high speed rail. It's a good idea.

How about we take the TWO TRILLION DOLLARS we wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan and use that for alternative energy.
 
Do we get to hear about the unintended consequences before they happen ? Science tends to tell us the bad news way too late.
 
According to the researchers, the gallium nitride-antimony alloy is the first simple, easy-to-produce material to be considered a candidate for PEC water splitting. Since the alloy is not consumed during the reaction, it can be reused indefinitely.

Hydrogen has been used in fuel cells to generate electricity, burned to produce heat, and used in internal combustion engines to power vehicles, with water vapor as its only waste product. At present, hydrogen production is derived from non-renewable sources such as natural gas.

"Hydrogen production now involves a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Once this alloy material is widely available, it could conceivably be used to make zero-emissions fuel for powering homes and cars, and to heat homes," said Mr. Sunkara.

Currently, the researchers are working toward producing the alloy and testing its ability to convert solar energy to hydrogen. The research itself was funded by the United States Department of Energy.

Universities team up to develop hydrogen-producing alloy - Technology - Ecoseed Information Network
 
Scientists have determined that an inexpensive semiconductor material can be "tweaked" to generate hydrogen from water using sunlight, a revelation that may have the potential to bolster the renewable energy sector.

The research, published in the Physical Review Journal, was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and led by scientists at the UK Center for Computational Sciences and the University of Louisville Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research.

The team demonstrated that an alloy formed by a two percent substitution of antimony in gallium nitride has electrical properties that enable solar light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through a process known as photoelectrochemical water splitting. The researchers found that when the alloy is submerged in water and exposed to sunlight, the chemical bond between the hydrogen and oxygen molecules break, allowing the hydrogen to be collected to separately.

Scientists: New Alloy Could Produce Hydrogen Fuel From Sunlight - International Business Times


meh...........

These green energy projects being funded with taxpayer dollars are laughable. A new one fails almost every week.

Heres the latest one from today............Solyndra to Declare Bankruptcy | NBC Bay Area


and this pipe dream only cost the taxpayers 1/2 a billion dollars. The k00ks dont care.......as long as its somebody else's $$$$$$$$$$.


To see the laundry list of epic fail in green stimulus projecxts, see the thread "Economic stimuls green fAiL"
 
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Currently, the researchers are working toward producing the alloy and testing its ability to convert solar energy to hydrogen. The research itself was funded by the United States Department of Energy.

from your post Mr Rdean.

Apparently scientists are still getting paid to see if this really works or not.
 
If this works & produces more energy than it takes to create it without using enormous areas of land for a reasonable price, it will be a great breakthrough.

I am waiting for further details on this technology. :eusa_whistle:
 
Could, might, with enough funding, in the near future, someday. How much bull sh*t can you take from the the taxpayer funded greenie research centers before you pull the plug?
 
If the EROEI is 10x then it can be possible to use it to replace oil. If not, it will only be second best. I'd be very happy to see that it worked, but ONLY if it is "bigger, better, faster, cheaper", and fuck greener.
 
If the EROEI is 10x then it can be possible to use it to replace oil. If not, it will only be second best. I'd be very happy to see that it worked, but ONLY if it is "bigger, better, faster, cheaper", and fuck greener.

We are currently using oil from Canada's Tar Sands that only produce an EROEI of 3.5X
That is about the same as Ethanol. If this Solar Hydrogen thing can beat that & not cost more it may make it in the marketplace.
 

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