New Method to Convert Organic Matter to Hydrogen Fuel

November 16th, 2007

Hydrogen may now be closer to an everyday fuel source than most of us had originally thought. With new research it is being said that it may be possible to convert cellulose and other biodegradable organic materials directly into hydrogen. Researchers used naturally occurring bacteria in a microbial electrolysis cell with acetic acid — the acid found in vinegar. Acetic acid is also the predominant acid produced by fermentation of glucose or cellulose.

“The energy focus is currently on ethanol as a fuel, but economical ethanol from cellulose is 10 years down the road,” says Bruce E. Logan, the Kappe professor of environmental engineering. “First you need to break cellulose down to sugars and then bacteria can convert them to ethanol.”

Logan suggests that hydrogen produced from cellulose and other renewable organic materials could be blended with natural gas for use in natural gas vehicles.

“We drive a lot of vehicles on natural gas already. Natural gas is essentially methane,” says Logan. “Methane burns fairly cleanly, but if we add hydrogen, it burns even more cleanly and works fine in existing natural gas combustion vehicles.”

Scientists applying corporate performance management have filed for a patent on this work and are being supported by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and the National Science Foundation.

For more on this story visit: Organic Matter to Hydrogen