Latest Innovations Reaping Hydrogen from Water

Efforts of scientists in the search for alternative energy instead of fossil fuels continue to be done, especially since entering the 21st century. Until now, the percentage of use of alternative energy is still very small due to the effectiveness and efficiency are still fairly small. Things like this also looked at the use of hydrogen fuel. Although some automotive companies like Ford and Honda have released a hydrogen-fueled cars, in fact its use is still small. This problem could not be separated from the liquid hydrogen because of high production costs that can be said is not cheap.
Hydrogen has many advantages, among others, has a large combustion energy per unit mass of hydrogen and fuel is very clean because the emission combustion is water (H2O). Recently, a team of researchers from the School of Chemistry Monash University in Australia have discovered a new innovation in turning water into hydrogen through a process elektrofotokatalisis inspired from the way plants turn water into oxygen.
Scientists in the world admit that the hardest part of turning water into fuel is to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. The team of researchers who have published their research findings in the journal Nature Chemistry managed to make cell systems conversion of water into hydrogen using metal-based catalysts manganese (Mn). The catalyst itself has a molecular structure that resembles the manganese mineral birnessite [(Na0.3Ca0.1K0.1) (Mn4 +, Mn3 +) 2O4 · 1.5 H2O].
The research team took advantage of the oxidation of manganese ions, especially manganese (II) and manganese (IV) to oxidize water into oxygen and hydrogen. Provision of electrical voltage will change the manganese (II) on birnessite oxidized to manganese (IV). Furthermore, exposure to sunlight will return the form of manganese (IV) to manganese (II) as well as convert two molecules of water (H2O) into one molecule of oxygen gas (O2), four protons (H +), and four electrons. Furthermore, the four protons and electrons merge into two molecules of hydrogen gas (H2). Manganese catalyst cycle is rapid and the required electrical voltage is not too large when compared with the direct electrolysis of water using inert electrodes.
This innovation proved to produce hydrogen gas from water more easily and cheaply. This discovery will hopefully inspire a manufacturer of hydrogen fuel in the world to apply it so it will be realized the use of hydrogen fuel global.