Eco Factor: Water Oxidation catalyst generates clean hydrogen from water and sunlight.
Chemists at Emory University have developed the most potent homogeneous catalyst known for water oxidation, which is being considered a crucial component for generating hydrogen fuel from water using only sunlight. The research team states that in order to be a viable option, the water oxidation catalyst (WOC) needs to have selectivity, stability and speed.
The new research aims to mimic natural processes such as photosynthesis to generate clean fuel, with the long-term goal to generate hydrogen from water using only sunlight. Hydrogen becomes the fuel and its combustion produces the by-product of water, which flows back into the clean, renewable cycle.
The three main technical challenges involved in the process are developing a light collector, a catalyst to oxidize water to oxygen and a catalyst to reduce water to hydrogen. The research team has duplicated the complex natural process of photosynthesis using a synthetic, carbon-free, homogeneous system using a cobalt-based WOC.
Via: Physorg
