The polluting emission is rarely recycled and does much damage to the planet. The new UCF innovations enable methane to be used in green energy production and to create high-performance materials for smart devices, biotechnology, solar cells and more.
Methane is a harmful emission that’s rarely put to good use. However, scientists from the University of Central Florida have come up with a way to turn it into energy and useful materials.
This exciting discovery was shared in a press release from the university last Friday.
“That invention is actually a twofer, You get green hydrogen, and you remove — not really sequester — methane. You’re processing methane into just hydrogen and pure carbon that can be used for things like batteries.”
Richard Blair
The breakthrough comes from the combined efforts of nanotechnologist Laurene Tetard and catalysis expert Richard Blair, who have been research collaborators at UCF for the past 10 years.
Tetard is an associate professor and associate chair of UCF’s Department of Physics and a researcher with the NanoScience Technology Center, and Blair is a research professor at UCF’s Florida Space Institute.
The initial innovation involves a technique to produce hydrogen from methane, without releasing any carbon gases.
Richard Blair explained, “This innovation is actually a two-in-one deal. You get clean hydrogen, and you also convert methane into just hydrogen and pure carbon, which can be utilized in things like batteries.”
The inventions come from nanotechnologist Laurene Tetard and catalysis expert Richard Blair,
Source: UCFToday
