Scientists find new way to produce hydrogen

Scientists at VCU and Pennsylvania State University have found a new way to produce hydrogen by exposing selected aluminum clusters to water. The studies show that the reactions are dependent on the geometric properties of the cluster, not just their electronic properties.

With these results, scientists may be able to find a way to produce hydrogen on demand, eliminating the need for storage. The hydrogen could serve as a source of alternative energy.

Dr. Shiv Khanna, professor of physics at VCU and one of the scientists involved, said the findings are exciting because no added energy was required for the reaction. The experiments were preformed at room temperature.

The other researchers include Postdoctoral Associate Arthur Reber, and Penn State Graduate Students Patrick Roach and Hunt Woodward.

The group is now conducting further research to see if they can create conditions to take the hydroxyl group (OH-) that remains to create more hydrogen, recycling the aluminum clusters. Khanna said this would allow for faster hydrogen production or simply “hydrogen on demand.”The results will be printed in the journal Science on Jan. 23, 2009.

Jacek Ghosh, director of sustainability at VCU, said that research like this is necessary.

“Even though these steps seem small and insignificant, you gotta build on them,” Ghosh said. Ghosh emphasizes the need for Americans to get away from gas and petroleum dependency. The catch, Ghosh said, is that researchers would have to consider the amount of greenhouse gases released in the use of aluminum.

“All of these things are partial solutions,” Ghosh said, “Nobody has a total solution.”