University of Illinois researchers have recently discovered a new way to make water… yes, I said water. You don’t seem impressed. Well, keep reading. The researchers found a way to make water using unusual materials that could lead to the creation of better catalysts and less expensive fuel cells.
“We found that unconventional metal hydrides can be used for a chemical process called oxygen reduction, which is an essential part of the process of making water,” said Zachariah Heiden, a doctoral student and lead author of a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and posted on its Web site. “This reaction (2H2 + O2 = 2H2O + Energy) has been known for two centuries, but until now no one has made it work in a homogeneous solution,” said Thomas Rauchfuss, a U. of I. professor of chemistry and the paper’s corresponding author.
The described reaction is the same for a hydrogen fuel cell.
“Most compounds react with either hydrogen or oxygen, but this catalyst reacts with both,” Heiden said. “It reacts with hydrogen to form a hydride, and then reacts with oxygen to make water; and it does this in a homogeneous, non-aqueous solvent.” The new catalysts could lead to eventual development of more efficient hydrogen fuel cells, substantially lowering their cost, Heiden said.
Just another discovery from the UI that is sure to change the future of our world. I knew you’d keep reading.
Original Article from the UI News Bureau
