Japanese researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology say they've found a way
to split water by using a mechano-catalysts. The group claims that Cu(I) oxide can
catalyze the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen in visible light. But, when
the lights went out the real fun started! The gases continued to evolve several
hundred hours after the light was turned off!
Similar results were seen with other binary oxides such as NiO, Co3O4,
and Fe3O4. The researchers think that the mechanical energy
supplied by stirring is converted to chemical energy by the oxide catalysts. Not
everyone is ready to embrace this theory though.
Dr. Michael Gratzel of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology thinks
that the electrical charging of the powder (by friction) followed by local discharge may
cause the splitting of the water molecules.
Mr. Arthur Nozik of the of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in
Golden, Colorado proposes that the oxides react directly with the water through an
auto-redox reaction to produce hydrogen and oxygen.
However it's accomplished, it may be a more cost effective way to
produce hydrogen and oxygen as opposed to traditional electroylosis. We'll just have
to wait and see.
