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Eeyore
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 Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
Yet they seem to claim they can produce either independently !
"The key component in Nocera and Kanan>s new process is a new catalyst
that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces valuable
hydrogen gas. The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and
an electrode, placed in water. When electricity -- whether from a
photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source -- runs through
the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the
electrode, and oxygen gas is produced.
Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce
hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting
reaction that occurs during photosynthesis."
Graham |
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Richard Henry
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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On Jul 31, 7:42 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
[quote]http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Graham
[/quote]
The article doesn>t say what distinguishes this process form the high-
school physical science lab experiment. |
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Le Chaud Lapin
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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On Jul 31, 10:11 pm, John Larkin
<jjlar...@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:
[quote]On Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:42:24 +0100, Eeyore
rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com> wrote:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
Yet they seem to claim they can produce either independently !
"The key component in Nocera and Kanan>s new process is a new catalyst
that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces valuable
hydrogen gas. The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and
an electrode, placed in water. When electricity -- whether from a
photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source -- runs through
the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the
electrode, and oxygen gas is produced.
Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce
hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting
reaction that occurs during photosynthesis."
Graham
Oh please. There an earth-changing press release like this, somewhere
in the world, about once a day.
"Nocera hopes that within 10 years, homeowners will be able to power
their homes in daylight through photovoltaic cells, while using excess
solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen to power their own
household fuel cell. Electricity-by-wire from a central source could
be a thing of the past."
What a maroon.
The usual hyperbolic claims for a test-tube experimant, and the usual
10 year time frame.
[/quote]
True. Very hard to see what unique advancement has been made. Too
bad it>s MIT. What a shame.
Caltech is not without guilt though. I was reading italian newspaper
a few years ago and saw, "Soon you will be abled to download an entire
DVD in 5 seconds." My italian is not great, so I re-read, and re-read,
then realized that the paper was probably hyping the hype of an
Australian newspaper that hyped the hype of an American newspaper that
might or might not have been hyped by a Caltech article:
http://mr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12356.html
-Le Chaud Lapin- |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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On Jul 31, 7:42 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
[quote]http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
Yet they seem to claim they can produce either independently !
"The key component in Nocera and Kanan>s new process is a new catalyst
that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces valuable
hydrogen gas. The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and
an electrode, placed in water. When electricity -- whether from a
photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source -- runs through
the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the
electrode, and oxygen gas is produced.
Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce
hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting
reaction that occurs during photosynthesis."
Graham
[/quote]
I was laughing too when I read that press release. Like, duh, store
hydrogen and oxygen from solar power. Never mind the problems with
hydrogen diffusing through solid materials, or causing iron vessels to
become brittle... why not just charge lead-acid batteries while you>re
at it, and run 'em through an inverter at night...
Sounds like the press folks don>t really understand the chemistry.
When I was younger, I too was in search of the "magic" catalyst that,
when dumped in water, would liberate hydrogen and oxygen. Never mind
that that>s a violation of the laws of thermodynamics...
Michael |
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John Larkin
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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On Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:42:24 +0100, Eeyore
<rabbitsfriendsandrelations@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
Yet they seem to claim they can produce either independently !
"The key component in Nocera and Kanan>s new process is a new catalyst
that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces valuable
hydrogen gas. The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and
an electrode, placed in water. When electricity -- whether from a
photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source -- runs through
the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the
electrode, and oxygen gas is produced.
Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce
hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting
reaction that occurs during photosynthesis."
Graham
[/quote]
Oh please. There an earth-changing press release like this, somewhere
in the world, about once a day.
"Nocera hopes that within 10 years, homeowners will be able to power
their homes in daylight through photovoltaic cells, while using excess
solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen to power their own
household fuel cell. Electricity-by-wire from a central source could
be a thing of the past."
What a maroon.
The usual hyperbolic claims for a test-tube experimant, and the usual
10 year time frame.
John |
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Jon Slaughter
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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"Richard Henry" <pomerado@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:a20d42f8-3fd6-4045-a431-daad74b6da7e@l33g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 31, 7:42 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
[quote]http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Graham
[/quote]
The article doesn>t say what distinguishes this process form the high-
school physical science lab experiment.
---
Um, you don>t get huge grants for it? |
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James Arthur
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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John Larkin wrote:
[quote]On Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:42:24 +0100, Eeyore
rabbitsfriendsandrelations@hotmail.com> wrote:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
[/quote]
<snip>
[quote]
Oh please. There an earth-changing press release like this, somewhere
in the world, about once a day.
"Nocera hopes that within 10 years, homeowners will be able to power
their homes in daylight through photovoltaic cells, while using excess
solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen to power their own
household fuel cell. Electricity-by-wire from a central source could
be a thing of the past."
What a maroon.
The usual hyperbolic claims for a test-tube experimant, and the usual
10 year time frame.
John
[/quote]
Why don>t they just store the photons directly & let 'em out at
night ?
Cheers,
James Arthur |
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Tim Wescott
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Whatever happened to MIT ? |
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Eeyore wrote:
[quote]http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar
revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage
system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008
" In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar
power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a
mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have
overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar
power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn>t
shine."
Apparently by using electricity to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen
!
Yet they seem to claim they can produce either independently !
"The key component in Nocera and Kanan>s new process is a new catalyst
that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces valuable
hydrogen gas. The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and
an electrode, placed in water. When electricity -- whether from a
photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source -- runs through
the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the
electrode, and oxygen gas is produced.
Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce
hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting
reaction that occurs during photosynthesis."
Graham
If it>s valid at all they>ve found catalysts that help improve the[/quote]
efficiency of electrolysis.
The gasses do bubble off of different electrodes -- oxygen gets oxidized
at one (I>d say "at the cathode", but I only have a 50% chance of being
right), and hydrogen gets reduced at the other. So I could certainly
see coating each electrode with appropriate catalysts, assuming that
such exist.
But I think that what>s really going on is that MIT has gotten used to
generating headlines, and now they>ve got some dips--t in the
administration who>s demanding it.
--
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com
Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html |
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