Engineers' New Material Brings Hydrogen Fuel, Lower Petrochemical Refining Costs Closer to Reality

 
Photo by Jennie Trower  
Click on photo for hi-res version.

A rubbery material that can purify hydrogen efficiently in its most usable form for fuel cells and oil refining has been developed by a chemical engineering group at The University of Texas at Austin. 

Dr. Benny Freeman and colleagues have designed the membrane material and tested its gas separation ability to successfully separate hydrogen from carbon dioxide and other contaminant gases.

Left: Dr. Freeman stands next to the gas permeation system.

Photo by Jennie Trower
Click on photo for hi-res version

Dr. Freeman holds a sample of the transparent membrane material.

Dr. Freeman with members of his research team, all Ph.D. candidates in chemical engineering. Front left is Victor Kusuma, behind him is Scott Matteucci, and on the right is Roy Raharjo.