Unveiling the Potential of Metallic 'Sponges' for Clean Energy

Researchers at Penn State have made a breakthrough in understanding hydrogen spillover, a phenomenon that could be key to harnessing hydrogen for clean energy. Hydrogen spillover occurs when hydrogen atom-like equivalents transfer from a metal catalyst to an oxide substrate, but until now, the mechanism behind it had not been quantified. The research team used a gold-on-titania system to demonstrate the process and measure it for the first time. They found that hydrogen molecules can be effectively split into hydrogen atoms at higher temperatures, requiring less energy. This discovery could lead to advancements in hydrogen activation and storage for clean fuel applications.