How about technology that uses polluted air to generate power?

Increasing pollution levels is no longer a mystery. Humans are abusing the fossil fuel reserves, a non-renewable resource which is raising serious environmental concerns. Ultimately, we need to do two things to protect the environment, reduce harmful gases and produce more energy from "green" energy sources.

Though different countries and organisations are launching various plans and initiatives to tackle these issues, only a few turn out to be effective. However, a new device created by the scientists from the University of Antwerp and the University of Leuven in Belgium purifies the air and generates power at the same time.

Light is all it needs

This tiny device relies on a process called 'heterogeneous photocatalysis,' which uses light and a particular catalyst to trigger a chemical reaction.

Professor Sammy Verbruggen (UAntwerp/KU Leuven), explained, “We use a small device with two rooms separated by a membrane. Air is purified on one side, while on the other side hydrogen gas is produced from a part of the degradation products. This hydrogen gas can be stored and used later as fuel, as is already being done in some hydrogen buses, for example."

Generating power from #pollutedair https://t.co/huIW5nYHV5 @LeuvenU

— Phys.org (@physorg_com) May 8, 2017

The concept of an all-solid photoelectrochemical cell was first proposed in 2009. Based on that design, the researchers successfully used water vapours from the air as the anode feed.

"In the past, these cells were mostly used to extract hydrogen from water. We have now discovered that this is also possible, and even more efficient, with polluted air," Verbruggen further added.

Currently, the device which is "only a few square centimetres, is only a proof-of-concept with ample room for improvement," as per the team.

The researcher's team is trying to scale up the technology to make the process industrially applicable.

The story first appeared in CHEMSUSCHEM