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As long as scientists can figure out how to produce hydrogen without fossil fuels, it could prove to be an abundant clean energy source in the future. Thankfully, scientists have found a way to produce hydrogen at room temperature, which could be a great way to produce it without the need for fossil fuels.

Source: Bloomberg Quicktake: Originals/YouTube

A new study published in Applied Nano Materials found a way to strip the oxygen from water molecules to leave the hydrogen gas. This requires post-consumer aluminum and gallium. The method uses aluminum nanoparticles and yields large amounts of hydrogen, but best of all, it all works at room temperature.

Hydrogen fuel requires a large amount of power but the new method only requires the use of gallium metal to enable an ongoing reaction with the water. Perhaps the best thing of all is that the technique works with any kind of water, including wastewater and ocean water.

“We don’t need any energy input, and it bubbles hydrogen like crazy,” materials scientist Scott Oliver said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Although aluminum is easy to obtain, gallium is more expensive and less abundant. Thankfully, the process can use the same gallium many times without losing its effectiveness.

More research is needed, but this method is promising and could prove to be a great method for producing hydrogen fuel.

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