Hydrogen has often been the target for environmentalists devoted to the cause of saving Mother Nature. Here is the latest development. Researchers at the University of New Brunswick have developed a method for converting hydrogen gas into a solid that can easily be converted back into a fuel on demand. The scientists are working with HSM Systems to incorporate hydrogen into a powder that would be safer to store in a vehicle than liquid or gaseous hydrogen.
The experiments are directed to ensure fuel efficiency. Only half as much hydrogen is needed to deliver the same power output as hydrocarbon fuel, but in its normal gaseous state it requires double the volume of kerosene.
The researchers are very positive about the results. The researchers say the first version will store six percent hydrogen by weight, and they hope to improve it to nine percent, so vehicles would be carrying a lot weight that would be a drag on fuel efficiency.
Some work has been done, much is left to be done. While research continues to be done on building stronger tanks for storing hydrogen under pressure, the emphasis has shifted to developing metals that can absorb and release hydrogen as per demand. The most talked-about forms are metal hydrides or solid oxides, so this research attempts a new approach to the idea.
Via: Green Bang
