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Liquid Sponges Extract Hydrogen From Water

New submitter gaelfx writes: Researchers at Glasglow University have an interesting method for separating the hydrogen out of water: Liquid Sponges. Most methods of extracting the hydrogen involve some form electrolysis, but these generally require some pretty expensive materials. The researchers claim that they can accomplish this using less electricity, cheaper materials and 30 times faster to boot. With both Honda and Toyota promising hydrogen fuel cell cars in Japan within the next few years (other manufacturers must be considering it as well, if not as publicly), does this spell a new future for transportation technology?

2 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Nature by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...

    It still takes more energy to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen than it releases by reacting.

    Do you mean, "Why not this instead of photosynthesis?"

    And that's because hydrogen is chemically unstable and hard to store compared to sugars. Neither of those are good things for living creatures.

  2. Re:No, not really by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Neither article makes any claim of a need for chemical purity of the water. What would coarse filter + reverse osmosis levels of purity be insufficient?

    Do you have a third source of information or is this baseless dismissal?