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I think it's a great idea, although I get this feeling that it won't be implemented. Although I'd love to see it being used.
Agreed. It's just the cost of it. If I had cash to blow, I probably would do it. Maybe if i win the lottery or something. =/ Oh hell this has a better chance of becoming mainstream, then me winning the lottery, who am I kidding? =( Damn Odds...
These trolls get worse and worse dont they...
@ Macca
Jeez, what's your problem? Big oil backer are ya?
since when is this new technology? this is what hydrogen fuel cells are based on... so they made it solar instead of wired electric? big deal, not new technology at all. plenty of companies already have systems available utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, not to mention numerous cars.
Wow.. Engadget you got this story all wrong. The discovery has nothing to do with solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells. The discovery is of a new cheap catalyst that makes electrolysis cheaper, yet still very efficient. They are using a catalyst that cost hundreds to thousands of times less than platinum for one of the electrodes. This is the step that is taking the process from very specialized expensive industrial applications to putting one in your basement. Yes, anyone with a 9v battery can get some H gas from water; but catalysts make the process work well enough to actually be useful on large scales.
In electrochemistry, a different chemical reaction occurs at each electrode. At one electrode, electrons are forced into molecules, and at the other electrode they are pulled out. For any given "splitting" of water, the hydrogen that is formed at the reducing electrode and the oxygen forming at the oxidizing electrode do not come from the same water molecule. So yes, the kinetics of the half reactions are very important.
The difference in free energy between the 2H20 and 2H2+ O2 is fairly modest. However, the process is path dependent, and your traditional pair of metal electrodes in electrolyte solution connected with a battery is very inefficient, because the molecules have to be forced into high energy transition states in order to overcome the entropic and electronic barriers necessary for reaction. The work required to get over this kinetic barrier is irreversible, and lost as heat.
A catalyst lowers the energy of the transition state, increasing the efficiency by lowering the amount of irreversible work required to complete the reaction. In addition, a good catalyst is durable, and does not undergo side reactions that cause it to lose its effectiveness. Platinum is generally a great catalyst for a variety of reasons, but it is very expensive. What remains to be seen is if the cost that can be saved by using this type of catalyst is enough to overcome the presumably slightly lower efficiency than the exotic metal and polymer catalysts also being developed.
Thanks ds.
What I find funny is that the MIT guy is pushing this as a home power plant using solar power and a fuel cell. First, we all know home solar is no where near cost effective, nothing changes here. Second, we all know fuel cells are not cost effective. How would this system that contains the two be cost effective?
I more see this as a low cost way to make hydrogen from water. They you could use that to say power a car(as long compressing it isn't too expensive). There are currently viable ways to power a vehicle with Hydrogen but the cost to extract it way to high.