Piezo Crystals Harness Sound To Generate Hydrogen 187
MikeChino writes "Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that a mix of zinc oxide crystals, water, and noise pollution can efficiently produce hydrogen without the need for a dirty catalyst like oil. To generate the clean hydrogen, researchers produced a new type of zinc oxide crystals that absorb vibrations when placed in water. The vibrations cause the crystals to develop areas with strong positive and negative charges — a reaction that rips the surrounding water molecules and releases hydrogen and oxygen. The mechanism, dubbed the piezoelectrochemical effect, converts 18% of energy from vibrations into hydrogen gas (compared to 10% from conventional piezoelectric materials), and since any vibration can produce the effect, the system could one day be used to generate power from anything that produces noise — cars whizzing by on the highway, crashing waves in the ocean, or planes landing at an airport."
This SOUNDS Like A Breakthrough! (Score:5, Funny)
But Mom... (Score:5, Funny)
"If we dont play it at full volume we wont be able to save the enviroment!" ;-)
Car Troubles... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fuck you /. elitists (Score:2, Funny)
Give me the option to have -1 given emphasis and leave me to post as much as I fuckin' like down here, you google-dick-sucking fucktards.
Um, not to be one of those self-absorbed, uninformed heavily biassed assholes, but I believe the first 'G' in google in you google-dick-sucking fucktards should be capitalized.
you Google-dick-sucking fucktards.
There, FTFY. Have a nice day.
Re:Cost Effective? (Score:4, Funny)
If it's cheap, can it be incorporated into bedsprings?
Re:This SOUNDS Like A Breakthrough! (Score:5, Funny)
No.
Sincerely yours,
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
But isn't the First Law of Thermodynamics to never talk about the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
Re:Cost Effective? (Score:4, Funny)
If it's cheap, can it be incorporated into bedsprings?
I get the feeling that it would be of extremely limited use to the /. community if it were
Re:Sounds to me like ... (Score:3, Funny)
I suppose it'd be called "Volume", and the next one "Volume 2".
Re:This SOUNDS Like A Breakthrough! (Score:3, Funny)
But can it produce enough electricity to power a small radio that plays the music used to create the vibrations necessary to produce the electricity?
Only if you are willing to listen to Barry White all the time...
You'll never find,
another vibe like mine,
to shake those crystals,
the way I do...
Re:Thermodynamics (Score:3, Funny)
I can just see the headlines now. "1,000 dead as 1 mile of I-900 explodes into flames."
Ah, Zinc Oxide... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Cost Effective? (Score:5, Funny)
Au Contraire, I'm certain the /. readers have already taken this problem into their own hands...
Fuel from sound? Not to be sexist, but.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This SOUNDS Like A Breakthrough! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This SOUNDS Like A Breakthrough! (Score:4, Funny)