Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Aluminum Alloy Releases Hydrogen From Water

Posted by kdawson on from the fill-'er-up-with-AlGal dept.

mdsolar writes "PhysOrg is reporting on a method of releasing hydrogen from water by oxidizing aluminum in an alloy with gallium. In the presence of water the aluminum oxidizes, leaving aluminum oxide, gallium, and hydrogen gas. The Purdue scientists who discovered the effect think this could help to overcome difficulties with hydrogen storage. Quoting: 'On its own, aluminum will not react with water because it forms a protective skin [of aluminum oxide] when exposed to oxygen. Adding gallium keeps the film from forming, allowing the aluminum to react with oxygen in the water.'"

6 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Still ONLY an energy STORAGE medium. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    From Hydrogen. Duh. They just found an easy way to make it - using Aluminum.

  2. Electrical Engineering prof? Riiiggght. by Excelcia · · Score: 2, Funny

    The reaction was discovered by Jerry Woodall, center, a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering. Ya, sure it was.

    Charles Allen, holding test tube, and Jeffrey Ziebarth, both doctoral students in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, are working with Woodall to perfect the process. They had nothing to do with discovering it... nope... because, they're just students, and students can't never discover nothin'.

    The above is why I could never do post-graduate work. I'd love to do research - but the idea of having my discoveries and/or inventions stolen by some ossified... err.. tenured relic because that's just the way the system works just makes me angry.
  3. Big Deal by PPH · · Score: 2, Funny
    My car has been releasing free hydrogen for years.


    Rust never sleeps.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  4. Re:How do you get the hydrogen back out? by glittalogik · · Score: 2, Funny

    Free as in leftover beer from the night before - doesn't taste as good, but it'll get you where you need to go =)

  5. Re:The Beauty Of Closed Systems by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 4, Funny

    My bicycle gets more.

    --

    ---
    ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
  6. Re:The Beauty Of Closed Systems by bhiestand · · Score: 2, Funny

    Damn you! My bicycle doesn't even get 1 mpg on gasoline. Last time I tried, the paint just burned off and it didn't even go anywhere!

    --
    SWM seeks new sig for a brief fling