Will we soon be riding on air? Scientists have come up with a revolutionary idea! THIS should be the solution – Topky.sk

It may sound bizarre, but we may soon see a car powered by air. Produced by electrolysers using electricity and water, green hydrogen represents a potential alternative to CO2-emitting fossil fuels. However, current devices often require complex components such as precious metals and access to clean water, which can lead to limited potable water supplies. However, instead of liquid water, the new electrolyzer prototype collects moist air. This means that it absorbs moisture from the air and splits the collected water into hydrogen and oxygen. Photo gallery (3) Source: PR “This module uses a hygroscopic electrolyte constantly exposed to the atmosphere. Such an electrolyte has a high potential to spontaneously extract moisture from the air (without external energy input), thus easily inducing electrolysis and hydrogen production when coupled with a (renewable) power supply,” said Gang Kevin Li, senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne and co-author of the research. Electrolysis has traditionally only been used to collect hydrogen and oxygen from liquid water. It works by placing two electrodes in water and passing an electric current through them. In the positively charged electrodes, electrons are stripped from H2O, forming positive hydrogen ions and O2 molecules, while in the negative cathode, electrons are given to hydrogen ions, which form hydrogen. Photo gallery (3) Source: Vertical.com The problem is that this process requires liquid water, so such electrolysis must be done in water-rich areas to avoid water shortages. However, if the water comes from the air, as is the case with the aforementioned prototype, there is nothing to worry about. The method also makes it possible to produce hydrogen anywhere in the world, even in arid regions without much water. The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.