Reaction to convert solar energy to fuel is 50 times faster with a simple change in the solvent
Friday, August 21, 2015 - 05:20
in Physics & Chemistry
Few people would buy a computer that only worked when the sun shines. For solar energy, that's the problem. Energy produced at solar stations on sunny days must be stored for later use. A simple fuel, such as hydrogen, could store the energy. Making hydrogen economically demands a quick, efficient reaction. Creating that reaction demands a catalyst, which pushes the reaction along, in the right environment. Scientists at the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis (CME) found that a proton and water-packed environment lets the catalyst work 50 times faster than the previous record holder—without added energy.