With its abundance (mostly in compounds like water), lack of harmful emissions, and ability to store energy from solar, wind, and tidal sources, hydrogen has enormous potential as a clean fuel.
However, it is difficult to produce enough of the product in an efficient and reasonable manner. Hydrogen separation from water can be a complex technological process that also relies on pure freshwater, which is not always readily available.
Recently, researchers developed a novel prototype gadget that can extract water from humid air and then split it into hydrogen and oxygen.
Additionally, it may function in environments where the humidity, or the amount of water vapour in the air, is as low as 4%.
The researchers write in their published study, “In this work, we corroborate that moisture in the air can directly be used for hydrogen production by electrolysis, due to its ubiquitous availability and inherent inexhaustibility.”
The researchers’ creation is a working prototype of an electrolyzer that separates water into its component parts, hydrogen and oxygen, using electricity generated from renewable sources. Five electrolyzers were operating concurrently in a test using a solar power source.
The water harvesting device, which resembles a sponge and collects water from the atmosphere while also serving as an electrolyte reservoir, is located between the electrodes. Since neither electrode is in contact with the air, when the split occurs, hydrogen and oxygen can be collected as pure gases.
To get the prototype gadget working satisfactorily, a variety of materials and setups were explored, and one of the setups the researchers tried was able to function properly for 12 days in a row.
The researchers claim that their “so-called direct air electrolysis (DAE) module can operate in a bone-dry environment with a relative humidity of 4%, solving water supply concerns and creating green hydrogen sustainably with little harm to the environment.”
Since clean drinking water is usually scarce, this gadget might be utilised anywhere without depleting supplies. However, it’s probably going to be most helpful in arid or semi-arid areas where there isn’t much water available.
Recently, the splitting of hydrogen and oxygen molecules in water using aluminium and gallium represented another significant development in the manufacture of hydrogen fuel. In order to make hydrogen power more widely used, scientists today have a variety of options.
It’s important to keep in mind that this technology is still in its infancy: the efficiency and power output of various DAE setups and materials varied. The team is optimistic that they can enhance and scale up their gadget, though.
The researchers state that further improvements in the surface-to-volume ratio by the engineering of channels or raising the aspect ratios of the sponge material will ensure the rate of water uptake, which is necessary for the scaling up of the DAE units.