Ways to Make Hydrogen

Hydrogen gas is odorless, colorless and combustible.

Hydrogen, the first element on the periodic table, is the most common element in the universe. However, it is never found alone; hydrogen binds to other more complex atoms and in the process, becomes stable. When isolated and mixed with atmospheric quantities of oxygen, hydrogen becomes an extremely flammable and explosive gas. It is for this reason that it is necessary to remove it from these atomic pairings and mix it with air for it be used as an energy source.

Thermochemical Hydrogen

Thermochemical reactions come as a result of adding heat and chemicals together. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, meaning they are comprised of hydrogen and carbon. Fossil fuels include gasoline, oil, kerosene and even gases such as propane. Heating fossil fuels in the absence of any oxygen will separate the hydrogen atoms from the carbon atoms, releasing hydrogen gas. Pyrolysis oil can also be used to create hydrogen gas. This is accomplished using a technique known as steam reformation.

Electrolytic Hydrogen

Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Water, or H2O, is made up of two hydrogen atoms bound to one oxygen atom. Sending a high-voltage electric current though liquid water will split up some of the atoms, releasing hydrogen and oxygen gases. This volatile mixture of the two gases is then contained and stored for later use. Oxygen and hydrogen gases, when mixed together and subjected to an ignition source, contain all the elements needed for combustion. It is for this reason that hydrogen is currently being studied by scientists for its potential to replace the gasoline combustion engine.

Electrochemical Photolytic Hydrogen

This is simply a fancy way of referring to the use of solar electric power to create electrolysis. This process skips the middle step of power generation at a power plant. Power created in a solar panel is immediately used to convert water into hydrogen on site. This is a topic of interest for scientists because this energy source would be entirely self-contained, renewable and carbon neutral.

Biological Photolytic Hydrogen

Solar energy can also be harnessed in other ways to make hydrogen gas. Certain types of bacteria use solar energy to convert food into energy, and in the process of this digestion, they release hydrogen gas. In a controlled environment, and on a large enough scale, this could be used to produce enough hydrogen to make it economically feasible. This process also requires little maintenance, as bacteria reproduce and feed on their own.

References

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Hydrogen Production