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| Iron Oxide (Rust) |
“Using the power of the sun and ultrathin films of iron
oxide (commonly known as rust), researchers at the Technion, Israel’s
Institute of Technology, have found a novel way to split water molecules to
hydrogen and oxygen. The breakthrough, published this week in the scientific
journal Nature Materials, could lead to less expensive, more efficient
ways to store solar energy in the form of hydrogen-based fuels. This could be a
major step forward in the development of viable replacements for fossil fuels.
‘Our approach is the first of its kind,” says lead
researcher, Associate Professor Avner Rothschild, of the Department of
Materials Science and Engineering. “We have found a way to trap light in
ultrathin films of iron oxide that are 5,000 thinner than an office paper. This
enables achieving high solar energy conversion efficiency and low materials and
production costs.’”
