purdue process generates hydrogen from aluminum alloy

Water added to aluminum mixed with Gallium can produce hydrogen on demand. As a catalyst, the Gallium is not consumed. The oxidized aluminum can be recycled. The process is close to being cost competitive with petrol.

This is from: pesn.com/2007/05/17/9500471_Hydrogen_via_Aluminum_Gallium

A Purdue University engineer has developed a method that uses an aluminum alloy to extract hydrogen from water for running fuel cells or internal combustion engines. The technique could be used to replace gasoline, though it is not quite cost-competitive yet.

This reaction splits the oxygen and hydrogen contained in water, releasing hydrogen in the process.

Woodall discovered that liquid alloys of aluminum and gallium spontaneously produce hydrogen if mixed with water…

The aluminum could be produced at competitive prices if the recycling process were carried out with electricity generated by a nuclear power plant or windmills. Because the electricity would not need to be distributed on the power grid, it would be less costly than power produced by plants connected to the grid, and the generators could be located in remote locations, which would be particularly important for a nuclear reactor to ease political and social concerns, Woodall said.

Read the details at www.physorg.com/news98556080.html

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Of course, if this were to become widely used, it would have implications for water supply.

Leslie