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A new technology developed by University of Maryland researchers simplifies the purification of hydrogen into a single-step process that is cheaper and generates lower carbon emissions than conventional methods.
As detailed in a paper published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, chemical and biomolecular engineering Assistant Professor Chen Zhang led a team that developed a semi-permeable carbon molecular sieve membrane. The device features tiny pores smaller than one-third of a nanometer that effectively block impurities while allowing hydrogen to pass through the membrane.
Hydrogen is emerging as a renewable fuel, with about 10 million metric tons produced in the U.S. each year, 95% of it from a process known as natural gas reforming, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Globally, the production and purification of hydrogen are estimated to have released 920 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023, according to data from the International Energy Agency.
“The chemical industry is carbon-dioxide intensive,” said Zhang. “This new technology would reduce the carbon footprint of traditional hydrogen purification processes.”
Zhang’s research team, supported by grants from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the National Science Foundation, has filed a patent application and has plans for commercialization.
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