A step closer to sustainable, large-scale hydrogen production
2018-05-03
Scientists of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) have been inspired by the workings of biochemical mechanisms related to photosynthesis. This inspiration has led to the design of an inexpensive and readily available material that could, potentially, lead to the large-scale production of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Being able to store solar energy in a way that is environmentally friendly, is an alternative to fossil fuels. This is what plants have been doing since the beginning of time thanks to photosynthesis; they can store the sun’s energy in the form of a chemical fuel (sugar). A simplified version of photosynthesis is use of the sun radiation to break the molecules of water and to store energy in the
form of hydrogen – which could then be used as a clean and efficient energy source.
This, however, has its own set of problems. The biggest challenge is designing materials that can be used as intermediaries in the creation of hydrogen molecules and that can also minimise the amount of energy waste (light or electricity). One element that has the ability to do this is platinum. However, platinum is scarce and very expensive, which means that alternative methods must be found in order to implement large-scale technologies for the production of hydrogen.
Recently, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid FRONCAT group, in collaboration with scientists of Universidad de Girona, ICIQ and CSIC, published a work in Chemistry: a European Journal which made advances in this area.
As an alternative to platinum, researchers used a modified version of carbon fibre – inexpensive and easily synthesised. Scientists discovered that a simple oxidative treatment of the fibres can generate fragments similar in structure to the molecules used by nature when storing chemical energy.
Rubén Mas-Ballesté, a researcher at UAM, who supervised the study, explains: "It is precisely in these molecular fragments of modified materials that the process of forming hydrogen molecules is facilitated; from acid solutions and the exact amount of electrical energy."
José Alemán, director of FRONCAT, points out that "these advances represent a significant contribution to the advances that are needed in order to implement technologies that will cause a shift in the energy paradigm, which today is based on the burning of fossil fuels. This can only be done by using materials that can ensure its sustainability and make it economically viable, which inevitably means substituting expensive and scarce materials, such as platinum".
According to the authors of the study, these results can be applied to industrial uses where the hydrolysis of water is required, as well as the extraction of heavy water or purification of saline water. The results have already been presented in a patent, now looking for investors in order to obtain a licence.
A much-needed alternative
Energy consumption in Spain leads to approximately five metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per person per year. According to data from the World Bank Group, these figures can be up to three times as much in some countries, such as the United States.
This level of carbon emissions causes a greenhouse effect which, in turn, leads to the warming of the atmosphere, putting many ecological systems at risk and threatening humanity.
This has been the result of large-scale consumption of fossil fuels by industrialised societies since the start of the first industrial revolution. To alleviate or revert this trend, it is imperative that we find new sources of energy that are clean and efficient.
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Bibliography:
Dr Octavio González‐del Moral, Dr Arnau Call, Dr Federico Franco, Dr Alicia Moya, José Antonio Nieto‐Rodríguez, María Frías, Dr José L. G. Fierro, Dr Miquel Costas, Dr Julio Lloret‐Fillol, Dr José Alemán, Dr Rubén Mas‐Ballesté. Bioinspired Electro-Organocatalytic Material Efficient for Hydrogen Production. Chemistry: a European Journal. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201705655.
Contact information:
Rubén Mas-Ballesté
Departamento de Química Inorgánica
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Email: ruben.mas@uam.e