Micromotors Race About By Turning Water Into Hydrogen Gas 85
MTorrice writes "Microscopic particles of aluminum and gallium rocket around using water as their fuel. The particles, which are 20 micrometers in diameter, are asymmetric: A chemical reaction on the back side of the particle forms hydrogen gas bubbles that propel the motor forward. Over the past several years, bioengineers have built micro- and nanosized rockets that zip through liquids, fueled by chemical reactions between the materials that make up the rockets and their environments. The engineers hope someday these tiny motors could help deliver cargo, such as drugs, in people. Unfortunately, many of these motors require toxic hydrogen peroxide as fuel source, limiting their use in the body. To overcome that constraint, the new micromotors harness a well-known reaction between aluminum and water to produce hydrogen gas."
Re:Hydrogen fuel-Looking forward to the car (Score:5, Interesting)
Now the cool thing coming out is Toyota's Hydrogen Car for 50k or so in 2015. In order to store hydrogen in a tank, you must first compress it. Hydrogen is a material that erodes a lot of materials it comes in contact with, so dealing with it is somewhat more challenging than other fuels. Compressors exist for hydrogen, but I couldn't find a price for under $12k. Before I become a hobbyist in this, I need to make sure I can afford it, and $12k for the compressor is what makes working on a personal hydrogen refueling station unfeasible for me.
I think if hydrogen car economy takes off, everyone will have their own refueling station because the only two inputs required are: Electricity and Water. Then you lose some power converting the electricity into hydrogen but being able to store it in fuel tanks as opposed to expensive batteries that wear out makes it nice. We're looking forward to time where people invest in their own solar panels on their property so they pay less in utilities too.
I think in the short run of a hydrogen economy, you'll have hydrogen refueling stations, but in the long run, people will be making personal stations too. Besides harmless emissions from hydrogen, the cost of fuel will be extremely low compared to gasoline. Of course if the price of the car is greater than the price of a gas powered car and its lifetime of gasoline, there is only going to be a niche market. But if Toyota can get these things for under $25k and they don't have any serious downsides like the electric car's problem of battery arrays dying.... It could be the future.
Because of this, I want to become a hobbyist, and maybe own my own refueling station some day, but I don't want to get too involved if I can't afford a hydrogen compressor. Anyone know of a place to get a hydrogen compressor for under $12k?