Tohoku University Professor Produces Hydrogen from the Sunlight

(10/1/2002)
 

September 30, 2002–- Tohoku University Prof. Kazuyuki Toji has discovered an efficient way to create hydrogen, which can be used in fuel cells to produce clean energy, by exposing a hydrogen sulfide solution to sunlight.

Toji's discovery is expected to reduce costs in producing hydrogen for fuel cells. Hydrogen is mainly produced by passing electricity through water, but it can also be created through photodecomposition when hydrogen sulfide is exposed to sunlight.

Although many experiments to use sunlight to create hydrogen have been conducted, the process was still in development until Toji's success. The professor focused on the fact that it requires 50 percent less energy to extract hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide, a compound of sulfur and hydrogen, than that required for extracting hydrogen from water.

He put a new catalyzer, made of extremely tiny particles of sulfated cadmium molded into the shape of an eggshell, into a water solution of hydrogen sulfide, and then whipped it into a froth to create hydrogen.

About seven liters of hydrogen can be produced per hour from a solution spread out over a surface area of one square meter. This amount is 20 times greater than that extracted by the conventional process.

A pool of the solution with a surface area of 200-square meters could produce electricity required for one household.

"I hope the discovery will help provide an energy source that is less expensive than petroleum," said Toji.

Toji's findings will be announced on Oct. 16 at a special symposium to discuss environmental issues at the National Science Museum in Tokyo. A demonstration will also be performed.

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