Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Hydrogen tank lighter than battery

Hydrogen tank lighter than battery

November 05, 2008

Top hydrogen-absorbing metal alloy sixty percent lighter than battery

Dutch-sponsored researcher Robin Gremaud has shown that an alloy of the metals magnesium, titanium and nickel is excellent at absorbing hydrogen. This light alloy brings us a step closer to the everyday use of hydrogen as a source of fuel for powering vehicles. A hydrogen 'tank' using this alloy would have a relative weight that is sixty percent less than a battery pack. In order to find the best alloy Gremaud developed a method which enabled simultaneous testing of thousands of samples of different metals for their capacity to absorb hydrogen. The British company Ilika in Southampton has shown considerable interest.




Hydrogen is considered to be a clean and therefore important fuel of the future. This gas can be used directly in cars in an internal combustion engine, like in BMW's hydrogen vehicle, or it can be converted into electrical energy in so-called fuel cells, like in the Citaro buses in service in Amsterdam.

The major problem of using hydrogen in transport is the secure storage of this highly explosive gas. This can be realised by using metals that absorb the gas. However, a drawback of this approach is that it makes the hydrogen 'tanks' somewhat cumbersome.

The battery, the competing form of storage for electrical energy, comes off even worse. Driving four hundred kilometres with an electric car, such as the Toyota Prius, would require the car to carry 317 kilos of modern lithium batteries for its journey. With Gremaud's light metal alloy this same distance would require a hydrogen tank of 'only' two hundred kilos. Although this new metal alloy is important for the development of hydrogen as a fuel, the discovery of the holy grail of hydrogen storage is still some way off.

Hydrogenography

In his research Gremaud made use of a technique for measuring the absorbance of hydrogen by metals, based on the phenomenon of 'switchable mirrors' discovered at the VU University Amsterdam. About ten years ago researchers at the VU discovered that certain materials lose their reflection by absorbing hydrogen. This technique became known as hydrogenography, or 'writing with hydrogen'. Using this technique, Gremaud was able to simultaneously analyse the efficacy of thousands of different combinations of the metals magnesium, titanium and nickel. Traditional methods require separate testing for each alloy.

The analysis requires each of the three metals to be eroded from an individual source and deposited onto a transparent film in a thin layer of 100 nanometres using so-called sputtering deposition. This ensures that the three metals are deposited onto the film in many different ratios. When the film is exposed to different amounts of hydrogen, it is clearly visible, even to the naked eye, which composition of metals is best at absorbing hydrogen.

Gremaud is the first to use this method for measuring hydrogen absorption. The British company Ilika in Southampton wants to build a hydrogen analyser using this technique.

Gremaud's research was funded by NWO Chemical Sciences as part of the National Programme 'Sustainable Hydrogen'.

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)



Related Hydrogen Current Events and Hydrogen News Articles Hydrogen Current Events and Hydrogen News RSS Hydrogen Current Events and Hydrogen News RSS
WPI Researchers Take Aim at Hard-to-Treat Fungal Infections
A team of researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park has developed a new model system to study fungal infections.

Proton's party pals may alter its internal structure
A recent experiment at the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has found that a proton's nearest neighbors in the nucleus of the atom may modify the proton's internal structure.

Berkeley Researchers Take the Lead Out of Piezoelectrics
There is good news for the global effort to reduce the amount of lead in the environment and for the growing array of technologies that rely upon the piezoelectric effect.

Vibrations key to efficiency of green fluorescent protein
University of California, Berkeley, chemists have discovered the secret to the success of a jellyfish protein whose green glow has made it the darling of biologists and the subject of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Earth's early ocean cooled more than a billion years earlier than thought: Stanford study
The scalding-hot sea that supposedly covered the early Earth may in fact never have existed, according to a new study by Stanford University researchers who analyzed isotope ratios in 3.4 billion-year-old ocean floor rocks.

UT Knoxville and ORNL researchers turn algae into high-temperature hydrogen source
In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles.

Central Africa's tropical Congo Basin was arid, treeless in Late Jurassic
The Congo Basin - with its massive, lush tropical rain forest - was far different 150 million to 200 million years ago. At that time Africa and South America were part of the single continent Gondwana.

Engineers image nanostructure of a solid acid catalyst and boost its catalytic activity
The catalytic processes that facilitate the production of many chemicals and fuels could become much more environmentally friendly thanks to a breakthrough achieved by researchers from Lehigh and Rice Universities.

'Dropouts' pinpoint earliest galaxies
Astronomers, conducting the broadest survey to date of galaxies from about 800 million years after the Big Bang, have found 22 early galaxies and confirmed the age of one by its characteristic hydrogen signature at 787 million years post Big Bang.

Computer predicts reactions between molecules and surfaces, with 'chemical precision'
Good news for heterogeneous catalysis and the hydrogen economy: computers can now be used to make accurate predictions of the reactions of (hydrogen) molecules with surfaces. An international team of researchers, headed by Leiden theoretical chemist Geert-Jan Kroes, published on this subject this week in the journal Science.
More Hydrogen Current Events and Hydrogen News Articles
Genesis Hydrogen Generator Complete Kit

Genesis Hydrogen Generator Complete Kit
by Hydrogen-Water-Cars.com

Here is a hydrogen generator built in its simplest form, taken and expanded from the Water4Gas technology. The Genesis is designed for those who want to get their feet wet and start improving on fuel economy without spending a lot of money to get results. The unit is self-contained and is quite simple to install and operate. We have hundreds of success stories and our customers love our technical help. We are not afraid to answerer our phones here at Hydrogen Water Cars. All of our generators are built with 316L stainless steel, this includes the washers and nuts and this will save you money in the long run as you will not see corrosion. We use quality components and craftsmanship so we can stand behind our products. You can feel comfortable purchasing from Hydrogen-Water-Carsdotcom, we...

Hydrogen: The Essential Element

Hydrogen: The Essential Element
by John S. Rigden (Author)

Seduced by simplicity, physicists find themselves endlessly fascinated by hydrogen, the simplest of atoms. Hydrogen has shocked, it has surprised, it has embarrassed, it has humbled--and again and again it has guided physicists to the edge of new vistas where the promise of basic understanding and momentous insights beckoned. The allure of hydrogen, crucial to life and critical to scientific discovery, is at the center of this book, which tells a story that begins with the big bang and continues to unfold today.

In this biography of hydrogen, John Rigden shows how this singular atom, the most abundant in the universe, has helped unify our understanding of the material world from the smallest scale, the elementary particles, to the largest, the universe itself. It is a tale...

Double Punch Hydrogen Generator Electrode -316L Stainless Steel

Double Punch Hydrogen Generator Electrode -316L Stainless Steel
by Hydrogen Water Cars

Used to produce Hydrogen On Demand, the heart of your generator. Quality 1/4" pre-cut Acrylic. Precision drilled holes spaced evenly. Keeps the wire tightly in place. Marine quality 316L Stainless steel, .032 diameter 20 awg. Comes already assembled. Feel free to call with any questions. 541-756-7050 hydrogen-generators-usadotcom

Revolution Smart Cell Hydrogen Generator - Complete Kit With Enhancement

Revolution Smart Cell Hydrogen Generator - Complete Kit With Enhancement
by Hydrogen-Water-Cars.com

What Makes The Revolution Series Different From Others? AMP DRAW TEMPERATURE -HHO PRODUCTION ~Freezing Poing~When shopping for a hydrogen generator make sure they talk about all 4 of these factors. If they don't - be leery. ~ AMP DRAW - How Many amps does the hydrogen generator draw? This is what a hydrogen generator pulls from your vehicles battery. Your alternator supplies current to the battery and other electrical devices. To much current or amp draw taxes the alternator and will make the engine work harder, which in turn burns more gas. Many systems on the market, draw to many amps and end up requiring a PWM (pulse with modulator) to govern or throttle the amp draw. Some units, especially single cells are like runaway freight trains, climbing in amps the longer they run. Our...

HYDROGEN - Hot Stuff Cool Science 2nd edition: Discover the Future of Energy

HYDROGEN - Hot Stuff Cool Science 2nd edition: Discover the Future of Energy
by Rex A. Ewing (Author)

Discover the solid science and cutting-edge technologies behind hydrogen energy and fuel cells, and learn how we will use this energy in our homes and buildings, vehicles and public transportation, for electricity in remote areas and for backup power, and much more. Zed, the wise wizard of the Wasserstoff Farm, leads readers through chapters that include an overview of basic chemistry and energy transformation; a look at global warming and the annual U.S. energy consumption; electrolysis and other ways of extracting hydrogen from water; extracting hydrogen from coal, natural gas and biomass; ethanol and methanol production; nuclear energy and hydrogen production; using wind and solar energy for hydrogen production; hydrogen storage; internal combustion engines fueled by hydrogen; and fuel...

H-Racer & Hydrogen Fuel Station

H-Racer & Hydrogen Fuel Station
by Horizon

Witness the power of new energy technology in the palm of your hand. Thats right - this car does not need batteries! The car uses a real fuel cell and its own on-board hydrogen storage system. Use this accessory to fuel the H-racer with an unlimited supply of clean energy. To create free hydrogen fuel at the flick of a switch, just add water to the stations tank! Fueling is animated by a special blue light display. Includes the NEW 2007 version H-Racer, Fueling Station, Instruction Guide and solar panel. The H-Racer requires about 20 minutes of simple assembly and will operate for about 4 minutes (or approx. 100m) from a full hydrogen tank. You'll want this car for it's educational "toy" appeal, but be advised it does not perform like a remote control car.

Deadly Passions

Deadly Passions
by Hydrogyn

Hot on the heels of the band's success with their Billboard charting (Bombshell) release in 2006, (Strip'em Blind Live) CD success in 2007, coupled with their relentless touring in Europe, Kentucky based rockers HYDROGYN return to form with the release of their new opus (Deadly Passions). The Haunting, yet powerful vocals of the beautiful Julie Westlake, and the stunning press photos taken by John Scarpati (Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson etc) will ensure that this band are front page news right across the Globe.

Campbell Hausfeld WE106200AV 7018 1/8-Inch High-Strength Low Hydrogen Welding Electrodes, 5-Pound Box

Campbell Hausfeld WE106200AV 7018 1/8-Inch High-Strength Low Hydrogen Welding Electrodes, 5-Pound Box
by Campbell Hausfeld



Hydrogen (Bassjackers Remix)

Hydrogen (Bassjackers Remix)
Randy Santino (Primary Contributor)



Hydrogen Age, The: Empowering a Clean-Energy Future

Hydrogen Age, The: Empowering a Clean-Energy Future
by Geoffrey Holland (Author), James Provenzano (Author)

Hydrogen stands out as the best alternative to traditional polluting fossil fuels for many reasons-it can be produced without pollution, is nontoxic and noncorrosive, and we can never run out of it. It is as safe as or safer than the fuels we currently use and can be made virtually anywhere. The Hydrogen Age explains this promising fuel, shows how it can be harnessed to serve virtually all of our energy needs, and reveals why hydrogen is destined to become the clean, safe, renewable fuel of choice for the future.

© 2009 BrightSurf.com