A while back, a Japanese company created batteries that can be recharged using urine (or other specified fluids). An intriguing concept and marginally more nature-friendly alternative to standard rechargable batteries (but still a strange thought, I have to admit).

Now a researcher at Ohio University has taken it up a notch. Using electrolysis, Gerardine Botte has developed a much more efficient way to create hydrogen fuel from urine. This would also give use to the tons and tons of wastewater created each year. The process uses a nickel plated cathode that collects the hydrogen at a voltage about 1/3 of the amount required to split water. While it would be hard to replicate the full efficiency of the laboratory at the full scale of a wastewater treatment plant, this does offer a promising future for hydrogen fuel creation.

One Comment Electronics

One Response to “Urine Luck! New Source for Hydrogen Fuel”

  1. Kiraman Katibin on 07 Jul 2009 at 7:13 pm #

    That’s pretty awesome. Now if they can only turn poop into something useful too. :P

    [Reply]

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