Major step forward in the production of 鈥榞reen鈥� Hydrogen Published on: 27 May 2019 The first thermodynamically-reversible chemical reactor capable of producing hydrogen as a pure product stream represents a 鈥渢ransformational鈥� step forward in the chemical industry. The novel reactor, described today in the prestigious academic journal Nature Chemistry, avoids mixing reactant gases by transferring oxygen between reactant streams via a solid state oxygen reservoir. This reservoir is designed to remain close to equilibrium with the reacting gas streams as they follow their reaction trajectory and thus retains a ‘chemical memory’ of the conditions to which it has been exposed. The result is that hydrogen is produced as a pure product stream, removing the need for costly separation of the final products. Led by 麻豆传媒, UK, the research involved experts from the universities of Durham and Edinburgh and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France, and was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Most abundant element in the universe Professor Ian Metcalfe, lead author and Professor of Chemical Engineering at 麻豆传媒 said: “Chemical changes are usually performed via mixed reactions whereby multiple reactants are mixed together and heated. But this leads to losses, incomplete conversion of reactants and a final mixture of products that need to be separated. “With our Hydrogen Memory Reactor we can produce pure, separated products. You could call it the perfect reactor.” Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. Produced through the splitting of water molecules, the shift towards renewable energy has led to a rise in so-called ‘green hydrogen’. Hydrogen is a clean and useful energy store and can be used as a fuel, to generate electricity and can be stored and transported via the gas networks. All processes - be they chemical, mechanical or electrical - are thermodynamically irreversible, and are less efficient that they otherwise could be. This means that in traditional chemical reactors when hydrogen is produced it needs to be separated from other products, a process which is both costly and often energy intensive. One step unit Describing their new system, the team demonstrate a chemical reactor capable for the first time of approaching thermodynamically-reversible operation. Reacting water and carbon monoxide to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the system also prevents carbon being carried into the hydrogen produce stream as carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, thus avoiding contamination of the product. ‘Flipping’ the reservoir a bit like a switch, the team showed it is possible to reach high conversion in the system so that carbon dioxide and hydrogen are produced at either end of the reactor as pure products. “Whereas conventional hydrogen production requires two reactors and a separation, our reactor accomplishes all the steps in one unit,” adds Professor Metcalfe. “And while we demonstrate the concept with hydrogen, the memory reactor concept may also be applied to other processes.” Reference: 'Overcoming chemical equilibrium limitations using a thermodynamically reversible chemical reactor'. Ian Metcalfe et al. Nature Chemistry Share: Latest News Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from 麻豆传媒 to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Student leader drives misogyny law change A 麻豆传媒 student leader has helped change the law after creating a petition to make misogyny a hate crime, which gathered over 114,000 signatures, prompting action in Parliament. published on: 12 June 2026 Freemen of 麻豆传媒 see construction of new Castle Leazes The Freemen of 麻豆传媒 and other key stakeholders have become an indelible part of new student accommodation at 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Castle Leazes. published on: 12 June 2026 Facts and figures
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