The explanation of a scientific phenomenon paves the way for a new economic way of storing hydrogen
For decades, hydrogen spillover has been a scientific conundrum, quietly enthralling researchers with its potential to revolutionize clean energy.
The phenomenon involves small metal nanoparticles which, anchored to thermally stable oxides such as silica, show a curious behavior. The hydrogen atoms pour from the metal into the oxide, forming what scientists call a "hydrogen spillover."
Although this phenomenon was first described in 1964, its true nature and potential have remained shrouded in mystery. However, a recent Penn State discovery has shed some light on this long-standing conundrum.
Mystery revealed
Bert Chandler, a professor of chemical and chemical engineering at Penn State, led a research team that achieved a goal once considered impossible. Not only have they unraveled how and why hydrogen leakage occurs, but they have also provided the first quantitative measurement of this intricate process.
The findings, published in Nature Catalysis , open the door to a deeper understanding of hydrogen activation and storage, with immense promise for the clean energy sector.
Chandler explained that the research team employed a unique system of gold on titania, demonstrating the efficient and reversible splitting of hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms.
This discovery makes it possible to store hydrogen at higher temperatures in atomic form because these catalysts allow the hydrogen molecules to be separated and to "attach" the individual atoms to the catalysts.
Implications for clean energy
Hydrogen spillover systems involve the splitting of hydrogen gas into equivalent hydrogen atoms: protons and electrons. In this process, protons attach to the surface of the material while electrons enter the conduction band of the semiconductor oxide near the surface. This discovery paves the way for innovative applications, including the conversion of these hydrogen atoms into clean fuel and hydrogen storage.
What sets this research apart is the role of entropy, which plays a crucial role in transporting atoms from metal to substrate. Unlike previous hypotheses, which held that thermal energy was the primary driving force, Chandler's team discovered that entropy was the key driver, providing a more nuanced understanding of the phenomenon.
“We are now able to explain how hydrogen spillover works, why it works and what drives it. And, for the first time, we were able to measure it, which is crucial,” said Chandler, emphasizing the importance of the results obtained. “Once it is quantified, you can see how it changes, understand how to control it and how to apply it to new problems.”
“We were very lucky in choosing the system, which we selected because we were already interested in how gold works as a catalyst,” Chandler explained. “We didn't invent a new chemistry, we just collected the data. It took six years of measuring and re-measuring.”
“Entropy drives the diffusion of hydrogen”.
The implications of this discovery are immense, especially in the field of clean energy development. It stands as a testament to the scientific process, where curiosity, perseverance and rigorous experimentation can lead to profound discoveries.
“Science is a self-correcting process. We've known about the existence of spillover for some time, but no one had found the right system to quantify and understand it. We collected the data and figured out how to explain the phenomenon. It turns out that the balance of energies we use isn't always obvious, and that entropy can drive things we don't expect,” Chandler added.
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The article The explanation of a scientific phenomenon paves the way for a new economic way of storing hydrogen comes from Scenari Economici .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/la-spiegazione-di-un-fenomeno-scientifico-apre-la-strada-a-un-nuovo-modo-economico-di-stoccare-lidrogeno/ on Mon, 04 Sep 2023 07:00:58 +0000.